A foreign tourist couple, stranded here for over six months owing to COVID-19, have got themselves into a difficult situation especially over the past three days.
The couple — Gabriel, 34, and Leona, 29 — from Chile turned penniless after staying in various lodges, which forced them to pitch a tent on a piece of private land at Koombanpara, near Adimaly, on Friday. They stayed there for a night.On Saturday, the landowner took notice of it and informed the police. The couple informed the police about their plight. They came to the State on a tourist visa.
On the move
They had been moving from one place to another with no way to return to their home country once the pandemic hit.
With the help of health officials, they were shifted to a quarantine centre. Their swabs were collected and sent for testing on Saturday. However, on Sunday morning, they escaped from there.
The couple were seen in Mankulam by local people on Sunday. They informed the authorities and Gabriel and Leona have been provided temporary accommodation at a lodge in Adimaly.
District Collector H. Dinesan said the panchayat had arranged a two-day stay for them. The district administration was planning to shift them to a care centre after the results of the COVID-19 test were received. He said they needed financial help to return to their country and would have to wait till flights resumed service.
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