After a 40-year-old man who reached the Walayar check-post on May 9 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the Health Department has asked five Congress leaders, including three MPs and two MLAs, who were in the vicinity to quarantine themselves.

Thrissur MP T.N. Prathapan, Alathur MP Ramya Haridas, Palakkad MP V.K. Sreekandan and MLAs Anil Akkara and Shafi Parambil are among those asked to remain in quarantine. Police personnel, health workers and mediapersons who had been in contact with the patient were also asked to remain in quarantine.

The Congress leaders visited the check-post as part of their protest against the alleged delay in letting in stranded Keralites from other States through the Walayar check-post.

However, Mr. Anil Akkara said he was not contacted by the Health Department. “If asked, we are ready to go into quarantine,” he said.

The patient from Malappuram, who runs a juice shop in Chennai, reached the check-post along with nine others at 10.30 a.m. on May 9. He was at the check-post till 10 p.m. on the day as he lacked a valid travel pass. Later he and a fellow passenger were shifted to the Palakkad district hospital as he complained of vomiting, headache and tiredness. He tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on May 12.

‘Political colour’

According to Indo-Asian News Service (IANS), Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said in the State capital that people naturally suspected a political colour to the decision, but the Congress leaders would abide by the health directive. The Congress lawmakers suspected that the local CPI(M) leadership was behind this.

Special Correspondent adds from Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan denied the government had press-ganged Opposition legislators and MPs into quarantine. “The action of the Opposition politicians warranted legal action. However, the government has advised them to go into quarantine,” he said.

When pressed, Mr. Vijayan said Local Self-Government Minister A. C. Moideen had welcomed Non-Resident Keralites at the airport in Kochi despite a consensus within the government to avoid such public gestures. Mr. Modieen merely waved at the arrivals from afar. If he had interacted with them, the government would have counselled him to go into quarantine.