With the total count of COVID-19 cases in Kerala reaching 49, officials of the Wayanad district, which has not reported any positive cases, have put certain restrictions in place. In order to prevent the spread of the pandemic to the district, the District Collector on Sunday ordered stringent traffic regulations, prohibiting vehicles from other districts to enter Wayanad.
In the order dated March 21, District Collector Adeela Abdulla said that vehicles from other Kerala districts coming to Wayanad will be blocked and sent back, unless it is a case of emergency.
“As the neighbouring Kerala districts of Wayanad have reported more COVID-19 cases, and there is a chance of the disease spreading to the district, there is an urgent need to put stringent regulations in place,” the Collector said in the order.
Wayanad district is surrounded by three Kerala districts - Kannur, Kozhikode and Malappuram.
As of March 21, there are 49 people in Kerala who are under treatment for COVID-19. Among these, 24 cases were reported in just two days. Four positive cases are reported in Kannur, while two in Malappuram district. Kasaragod district, the northernmost Kerala district adjacent to Kannur, has 14 COVID-19 cases, the highest number of positive cases in the state.
Special teams will be deployed at the main entry point to Wayanad such as Lakkidi, Boys Town (in Mananthavady), Niravilpuzha and Periya. “Police should send back the vehicles coming from other districts to these entry points, if it is not a case of emergency. The District Medical Officer should also deploy a team to check the people entering the district,” the Collector said in the order.
The regulation is being enforced under section 34 (m) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, which gives the District Authority the powers to take such steps “in the event of any threatening disaster situation or disaster”.
Though there are no positive COVID-19 cases reported in Wayanad, a total of 889 people are under observation in the district. Among this, one person is under isolation in hospitals.
Meanwhile, in another strict measure to prevent the spread of disease, the District Collector has also said that the passport of those people breaking quarantine rules will be confiscated.
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