Bhubaneswar, May 7: Odisha, a relatively-less affected state in India due to the coronavirus crisis, will allow the return of only those stranded migrants who are not infected with the contagious disease. The government will have to ensure that Odisha migrants, who board conveyance from other provinces to return to the state, have tested negative for COVID-19, said an interim order issued by the High Court on Thursday. Karnataka Government Resumes Special Trains For Stranded Migrant Workers After Outrage Over Its Decision to Cancel Them.

Odisha HC, till the next hearing, has directed the state government to ensure that migrants who are to return to Odisha undergo a test for COVID-19, and allowed to board the buses or trains ferrying them back only if they test negative.

The bench's injunction came while hearing a public interest litigation which marked concern over the sudden rise in coronavirus cases in the state, following the return of stranded migrants from Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and other parts of India.

Update by ANI

With a total of 248 cases including two deaths, Odisha has so far fared better that most other states which have been battered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The nationwide tally climbed to over 52,000 today, and the fatality count reached 1,783.

The PIL in Odisha HC was, however, triggered by a spurt in new cases over the past week -- following the return of migrants through special trains and buses arranged by the government. While only asymptomatic passengers are allowed to board such conveyance, it is not necessary for them to present a certificate declaring them as COVID-19 negative.

The sharpest increase in Odisha's COVID-19 curve was recorded on Thursday, as the state saw 21 person testing positive for the contagious disease. All the new patients are migrant labourers who returned to Ganjam and Mayurbhanj districts from the industrial town of Surat in Gujarat earlier this week.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 07, 2020 06:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).