Covid-19, Nipah scare: Tamil Nadu cautious, but won’t ban transport from Kerala

Tamil Nadu not to ban transportation from Kerala over Covid-19, Nipah risk; safety steps will stay

The escalating number of Covid -19 cases and the unexpected outbreak of Nipah in Kerala have become a cause for concern for travellers from the state who commute to neighbouring states lie Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. However, Tamil Nadu is taking a considerate stance in this regard, and has said that the state will not ban transportation between Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

A government statement today spelt out by the Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramaniam has come as a relief to many. Asserting that Kerala cannot be isolated, he said though regular transportation with safety measures would continue, the state does not see any need for a ban for travellers from Kerala into Tamil Nadu.

The Tamil Nadu state government has set a goal of 100 per cent vaccination in all the districts bordering Kerala. In all there are nine Kerala districts that share their border with Tamil Nadu. Subramanian added that the state will also vaccinate more people in other districts.

Tamil Nadu takes steps to thwart Covid-19, Nipah scare

A day earlier, Tamil Nadu had instructed all District Collectors and healthcare officials at the nine Kerala bordering districts to keep a track of people travelling from Kerala to Tamil Nadu. This was done to make sure that the spread of Covid -19, Zika or Nipah was averted. Following the directive, officials had made a double vaccination certificate or RT-PCR negative report mandatory for anyone travelling from Kerala to Tamil Nadu.

The state health department had also announced guidelines on the signs and symptoms of Nipah and how to effectively manage the risk of spread.

Kerala stays alert as Nipah scare looms

Kerala, in the meantime, has reported that at least eight people are at risk of having contracted Nipah after a 12-year-old succumbed to the disease on Sunday. The Kerala health department has prioritised strengthening of contact tracing and determine the source of infection. 

There is a chance that the 12-year-old boy who lost his life may have come in contact with more people. Officials are working towards effectively managing the containment of the disease before more are affected. Several measures in this regard are already in place.