Karnataka government's decision to stop vehicles from Kerala, including those carrying critically ill patients to hospitals in Mangaluru, has taken three more lives. The deceased have been identified as Madhavan (50), Ayisha (55) and Aziz Haji (61).

According to reports, all the three deceased were critically ill people hailing from regions closer to the Karnataka border. They could not get emergency health care after the Karnataka police refused to let in the ambulance. Due to this Madhavan was taken to Kanhangad district hospital. However, he was declared dead upon arrival. He had an acute bronchial attack.

Though Ayisha was initially taken to a private hospital in Kasargod, doctors advised to take her to Mangaluru as her health condition began to worsen. However, due to the blockade at the border, the woman was taken to the Kanhangad hospital. However, she died before reaching the hospital. Another critically-ill person, Aziz Haji, who was sent back by Manguluru hospital authorities on March 23 for being a Kasaragod native, also died on Monday.

With 97 infected patients, Kasaragod has the largest number of COVID-19 cases in Kerala. With the massive coronavirus outbreak at the district, the Karnataka government blocked the state highway to prevent movement of vehicles carrying essential goods and even people seeking emergency treatment at hospitals in the city of Mangalore bordering Kasaragod. As the people of Kasaragod are largely dependent on the medical facilities in Mangaluru for critical illness care, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has already taken up the issue with the Centre.