Kerala MLA's Wife Quarantined In Italy Amid Coronavirus Pandemic: Report

The wife of an MLA from Kerala has been quarantined in Italy’s Camerino amid the coronavirus pandemic that has forced the European country to shut down. 

Onmanorama reported that CPI MLA Muhammed Muhassin P’s wife, Shafaq Kasim, has been quarantined in her room, and there is no way she can reach Rome, from where she could fly back to India. 

Muhassin is the MLA from Pattambi.

Shafaq, the report said, is a research scholar at the Camerino University.

The report said that Muhassin made many efforts to ensure the safe return of Malayalis from Italy, but could not do so in time. 

He told Onmanorama, ”“I had contacted the Indian Embassy in Rome before things got this bad pestering them to take steps to fly Indians in Italy back to India immediately... They kept telling me they would do it if there are enough numbers and now see what has happened.” 

He said his wife is at the moment quarantined in her room that she shares with two other research scholars. 

Mathrubhumi reported that NDA MLA P.C. George brought up the issue of the MLA’s wife in the Kerala Assembly, saying that Muhassin was now able to see Shafaq only through video call.

Health minister KK Shailaja also said that Muhassin had spoken to her about the matter and that she had assured him that if Shafaq could just reach Kerala, she would ensure that all arrangements were made.

The MLA also raised the problems faced by other Malayalis quarantined in Italy, saying that they were unable to get the certificates needed for travelling.

The Indian embassy in Rome, and the consulate in Milan have also shut down because of the outbreak of the virus. 

Earlier this week, CM Pinarayi Vijayan had strongly disagreed with a central government advisory which said passengers from Italy needed to now submit a certificate of having tested negative for coronavirus.

“How can we ever do such a thing to our own countrymen. Even if they have COVID-19 symptoms, can we leave them to languish in a foreign country? This is primitive,” he said in the Kerala assembly.

In a letter to Modi, he wrote: “While there is no difference of opinion that enough safeguards should be taken so that the disease does not spread, undue hardships to Indians abroad wanting to come home in an hour of crisis is totally unwarranted. They can be tested on arrival and kept in quarantine if necessary. There are necessary facilities in our country.”