Palakkad: As many as 117 students, who arrived from the red zone district of Thiruvallur in Tamil Nadu, have not been quarantined at the government-run centres in Kerala. These students have returned to Kottayam, Thrissur, Ernakulam and Malappuram districts.
The Kottayam district administration has begun steps to identify 34 such students. Four people, who contacted the healthcare workers, have been quarantined at the Pampady centre.
National Health Mission Palakkad district programme manager at the Walayar check-post Dr Rachana Chidambaram said that the 117 were allowed to return to their districts after instructing them to go under quarantine at government centres. However, the students did not follow this directive, she added.
Seventy-five people tested positive for COVID-19 at Thiruvallur district on Friday. The TN district has a total of 200 COVID-19 patients.
Apprehensions remain on whether the quarantine norms are followed by returnees from other states. No action was reportedly taken even though some people volunteered to be quarantined in Kannur.
Over 5,000 people returned to Kerala from other states so far after the lockdown regulations were eased.
Long line of vehicles were seen at checkposts along the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border, especially Walayar since Wednesday.