Even as the number of COVID-19 patients in Kerala's Kasaragod district continues to increase, a circular has been issued to eight medical colleges in the neighbouring Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, asking them not to admit patients from Kerala.
According to a circular issued by the department of health and family welfare in Dakshina Kannada on Wednesday, A. J. Medical College, Father Muller Medical College, Srinivasa Medical College, K.S. Hegde Medical College, Kasturba Medical College, Yenepoya Medical College, KVG Medical College and Kanachuru Medical College have been instructed not to admit patients from Kerala.
The circular was sent after a meeting chaired by district in-charge secretary and special COVID-19 officer for Dakshina Kannada V. Ponnuraj, say media reports.
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The Dakshina Kannada-Kerala border was closed nearly two weeks ago and police personnel have been deployed at the border to ensure that no vehicle crosses the border. On Wednesday, the Kerala High Court had directed the Centre to open the Kasaragod-Mangaluru National Highway and said Karnataka had no powers to close it.
Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel had said it is the responsibility of the state government to take care of its citizens. In a series of tweets, he said the state government has only taken steps to protect its people.
According to media reports, Kateel said the people who tested positive for coronavirus in entire Karnataka is lesser than the number of patients in Kasaragod and added that opening the border would mean many people coming to Mangaluru for treatment, leading to further spread of the disease.