67 new Covid cases in Kerala; foreign returnees to pay for quarantine: CM

Thiruvananthapuram: The number of Covid-19 cases in Kerala is witnessing an upswing with arrival of Keralites from abroad and other states and the state government has decided that all those who come from abroad will have to pay for the quarantine.

"The rates will be affordable to all," said Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, here on Tuesday.

Of the present 415 cases, 231 have been registered in the past four days, including 67 on Tuesday, the highest recorded in a day. "Of these, 133 have come from abroad and 178 from other states," he said.

"We are reaching a new phase of Covid-19. We had a video conference with all the state lawmakers (MPs and MLAs). Irrespective of the party affiliations, each one agreed to work jointly against Covid-19," Vijayan said.

The Chief Minister said a large number of people had registered to return from abroad and within the country. "We will receive all our people who wish to return with both hands. Once they are here, they will have to undergo quarantine," said Vijayan.

Vijayan said over one lakh people, who had registered from other states, had returned. Also, 11,189 of the 1.35 lakh registered from abroad had returned, he added.

During the day, nine more hotspots were added taking the total to 68 in the state.