Jailbirds to make masks in wake of coronavirus

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala government on Friday decided to use the tailoring units in prisons of the state to deal with the shortage of masks following the coronavirus scare.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the central jails of the state would begin the manufacture of masks soon.

"Since there is a shortage of masks in Kerala due to coronavirus scare, the state government has decided to manufacture them at the tailoring units in the prisons," he said.

In a Facebook post, Vijayan said, "Kannur, Viyyur and Thiruvananthapuram central jails will immediately start producing the masks."

"We will also make use of the facilities in other jails to produce masks and deal with their shortage," Vijayan said.

Kerala has been hit by the second round of coronavirus cases after the country's first three positive cases in the state were successfully cured and discharged from hospitals last month.

The state has reported 16 cases and 270 people are in isolation wards at various hospitals.

There are 4,180 people under observation, of which 3,910 are under home quarantine.