E-Paper
Kerala CM asks PM Modi to arrange Covid-19 tests in embassies for expats
Kerala has seen a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases with the return of expatriates and the state’s tally stood at 2,461 as on Sunday, June 14,
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has sought Prime Minister Modi’s help in making arrangements in embassies for Covid-19 tests of expatriates returning to India,
The request came after the southern state, amid rising numbers of Covid-19 cases of expatriates returning home, issued an order for mandatory certificates on Saturday. The order, however, will not apply to those arriving on Vande Bharat Mission flight.
“From June 20, all private chartered flights departing to Kerala from Middle-East countries shall only carry passengers who have been tested for Covid-19 infection and shown to be negative. A test certificate to that effect should be carried by the passenger. It applies to all flights for which consent letters were issued earlier,” said the government order issued by State Principal Secretary K Elangovan on Friday.
In a letter written to the prime minister, Vijayan said if the PCR test was not possible, at least rapid anti-body tests should be done.
He added that if everyone was allowed to travel together, chances of spread of coronavirus infection would be quite high and therefore, the infected can be accommodated in separate flights.
Meanwhile, state health minister KK Shailaja said a final decision on expats from Gulf countries carrying a Covid-free certificate will be taken after the CM’s video conference with the Prime Minister on Tuesday.
“It was not meant to put any impediments on the return of people. We suggested this after many people coming from Gulf countries are getting tested positive. Infected persons pose danger to co-passengers especially pregnant women and aged,” she said, adding it was not good to always oppose decisions meant to check further spread of the virus.
But many expatriates said the state was keen to maintain its records and not interested in its people who were desperate to come back from the middle-eastern countries. There are an estimated 18 lakh people from the state working in Gulf countries. At least 215 people from Kerala have died of Covid-19 in the Gulf countries in the last two months.
Meanwhile, the state reported 54 fresh coronavirus cases on Sunday, taking the total to 2,461. Of these, 1,340 are active cases, said the CM’s office. Twenty people have succumbed to the disease.
