Locals In Kerala’s ‘Super-Spreader’ Village Poonthura Attack, Spit At Health Workers Collecting Swab Samples

In a shocking incident, locals of the fishing hamlet of Poonthura near Thiruvananthapuram on Friday (10 July) attacked a team of health workers, including a doctor, who had gone to collect swab samples after several Covid-19 cases had emerged in the area, reports News18.

Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja revealed that a team of frontline health workers had gone in a car and was forced by the agitating local people to lower the car window, following which the locals allegedly spat and coughed inside the vehicle.

The report further states that all four health workers have been directed to go into quarantine.

"They forced their head into the car and coughed. This is a very dangerous situation. Because of their act, health workers, including doctors, are now in quarantine', KK Shailaja said in her Facebook post.

It should be noted that Kerala had confirmed its first COVID-19 ‘super spreader’-a fisherman from Poonthura earlier this week. Afterwards severe restrictions were imposed in the area and the team was sent to inspect the area and assess the situation.

However, on Friday, hundreds of men and women came out of their homes at Poonthura protesting that they were facing isolation from various quarters due to media reports on a rising number of positive cases from the area. They also claimed that they were denied treatment by doctors who were asking them to stay away.

The health workers had reportedly reached the area on Friday when the locals were protesting, after which, they were allegedly attacked.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Health Minister KK Shailaja have condemned the attack on the health workers.

CM Vijayan has also blamed the Opposition parties and said "Our health workers are in the battlefield consciously knowing that they can get affected anytime and are fighting the spread of the pandemic. They were prevented from entering the place. Some people are making the locals do the same. We can see the hands of the Opposition parties behind this.".