Covid 19: Karnataka imposes more restrictions on Kerala border

MANGALURU: Dakshina Kannada district administration on Tuesday further tightened the curbs on the entry of Keralites into the State by shutting 24 liquor and toddy shops located along the inter-state border from August 3 to 15. These watering holes along the porous border used to be frequented by a huge number of customers from Kasaragod, said officials.

An order issued by the Deputy Commissioner K V Rajendra said these liquor and toddy shops are located in Mangaluru, Bantwal, Puttur and Sullia taluks.In another communique with his Kasaragod counterpart Bhandari Swagat Ranveerchand, DC Rajendra said even Kerala patients who are not critically ill will require to furnish RT-PCR test results to enter Karnataka.

Meanwhile, Keralites continued protests for the second day, condemning the restrictions imposed on the national highway by the Karnataka government. Karnataka state ADGP (Law and Order) CH Prathap Reddy along with DC Rajendra, Police Commissioner N Shashikumar and SP Rishikesh Sonawane visited the inter-state border check posts at Talapady, Kodange and Salethur to supervise the surveillance measures. 

Speaking to the media, Reddy said the restrictions will continue until the positivity rate comes down to normal level in the neighbouring Kerala. For those travelling via trains without RT-PCR negative report, the ADGP said the district administration has opened a facility at Town Hall in Mangaluru for testing as well as quarantine. 

48 Keralites who arrived by trains quarantined in Mangaluru

Mangaluru: As many as 48 passengers who arrived in two trains on Tuesday were quarantined at Town Hall in Mangaluru by district health officials as part of the surveillance. Dakshina Kannada district health officer Dr Kishore Kumar said that they will undergo RT-PCR tests and if they test positive, they would be shifted to Covid care centres. On Monday, as many as 51 Keralites were quarantined, results came today.