After Kerala logged over 35,000 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, concerns grew about cross-border spread in the border districts, including Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Chamarajanagar, and Mysuru, with heightened surveillance taken up at the border checkposts.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has told health officials in the border districts to do “whatever it takes” to prevent cross-border transmission. Authorities in Kodagu have decided to subject all travellers entering the State through the district to mandatory COVID-19 test, even if they were carrying RT-PCR negative reports. They have to undergo Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) at the checkposts. “Only if the results are negative can they gain entry into the State,” said Kodagu District Health Officer (DHO) Mohan.
Tests were done randomly earlier. Kodagu is a high-risk district because of the everyday movement of people for trade and business reasons. Students also travel daily for college. Workers are brought to Kodagu for coffee plantations. All precautions are in place at the Bavali check post in Mysuru district. “If required, we have a lab-on-wheels facility which can be shifted to Bavali for stepping up the tests,” said K.H. Prasad, DHO, Mysuru. At Chamarajanagar, all the check posts are active with stringent checks.
In Dakshina Kannada, the district administration is keeping a close eye on the health of paramedical, engineering and other students from Kerala who are staying in hostels or commuting regularly. They are trying hard to screen people entering Dakshina Kannada at Talapady and 16 other border check posts, and ensuring that they carry the RT-PCR negative certificates.
Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner K.V. Rajendra said there were a good number of people from Kerala entering with RT-PCR negative certificates, being quarantined, and then testing positive for COVID-19 after a week of quarantine. As many as 620 students from about 30 institutions tested positive in the last one month. The personnel at the 17 border check posts have been trained at detecting fake RT-PCR certificates, which are gradually increasing, he added.
Meanwhile, protests are being held on and off by residents of Kasaragod district on the Kerala side of Talapady, asking Karnataka to allow free movement of people who have taken two doses of COVID-19 vaccine. The Kerala High Court recently asked the Karnataka Chief Secretary and the Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner to continue allowing those with medical emergencies and students without insisting on RT-PCR negative certificates.
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