Following a drastic dip in COVID cases, the district has begun to witness an influx of guest workers. Their arrival in large numbers has however sent the health department into alert mode.

In order to prevent the spread of the virus through migrant workers, both the Corporation and the health department have jointly begun to screen the passengers at the Tirupur railway station since Thursday.

All passengers from Shalimar in West Bengal, who arrived by a train bound to Thiruvananthapuram were screened for COVID at the station. Swab samples were collected by the staff. The officials also gathered their phone numbers, residential address and address of their employment.

“Nearly 350 swab samples were collected from migrant workers who arrived from north Indian states at the railway station on Thursday. We have also instructed the workers to isolate themselves in their house or in the workplace for three days until their swab results are known,” said an official of the health department.