Thiruvananthapuram, August 14: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday announced that he and seven of his cabinet colleagues have decided to go into self-isolation after Malappuram Collector tested Covid positive.

However, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, who had accompanied Vijayan to Kozhikode to visit the survivors of the Air India Express flight from Dubai, which skidded off the runway and fell into a gorge on Friday evening leaving 18 dead, and inspect the accident site, will not isolate himself. Gopalakrishnan had been coordinating the rescue and relief operations at the accident site. Kerala Govt Will Ensure Rehabilitation of Families Affected in Rajamala Landslide, Says CM Pinarayi Vijayan.

In a WhatsApp message, Vijayan said the others who will be going into isolation are Health Minister K.K. Shailaja, Local Administration Minister A.C. Moideen, Industries Minister E.P. Jayarajan, Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunilkumar, Higher Education Minister K.T. Jaleel, Ports Minister Kadanapally Ramachandran and Transport Minister A.K. Saseendran. Chief Secretary Vishwas Mehta will also isolate himself.

Consequently, Vijayan will not unfurl the tricolour at the main Independence Day function here, with Devasom Minister Kadakampally Surendran stepping in for him, in the ceremony which will last only 10 minutes.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 14, 2020 06:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).