Eighteen Keralites living outside Kerala lost their lives to the coronavirus in the past few days, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed on Monday.
Nine Keralites have succumbed to the COVID-19 in United States alone.
The Kerala CM on Sunday conducted a video conference with some prominent members of the NRI community in 22 different countries to discuss the problems encountered by Keralites abroad.
"The travel ban has visibly affected the NRIs. Some of the other pertinent issues faced by the NRI community were raised during the video conference. The different embassies and centre will be notified of these matters," he added.
The Chief Minister also appealed to Malayali school managements abroad to reduce school fees till the economic repercussions of the coronavirus outbreak fades away.
He added that discussions were being held to facilitate quarantine provisions for Malayalis abroad.
United States
The novel coronavirus infection claimed four more Malayali lives in New York, taking the total number of Keralite deaths in the United States of America to nine. The deceased are Oommen Kurien, 70, who hails from Karikkom near Kottarakkara, Eliamma Kuriakose, 61, of Palachuvadu near Piravom, Joseph Thomas and Shilpa Nair.
Thankachan, from Muttom in Thodupuzha, Thiruvalla natives Eliyamma, 65, and Shawn Abraham, 21, Pathanamthitta native Thomas David, 43, lost their lives to coronavirus in New York.
Kunjamma Samuel, 85, from Ramamangalam in Ernakulam district, died in New Jersey.
UK, Ireland
Indira from Odanavattom in Kollam died of the coronavirus in London, UK. The other deceased from UK include Perintalmanna-native Dr Hamza Pacheeri, 80, and Sienna, a nun belonging to Missionaries of Charity.
In Ireland, Beena George, 58, a nurse who hails from from Kottayam's Kuruppanthara, succumbed to the virus on Sunday.
Saudi Arabia
Safwan, 38, a native of Tirurangadi in Malappuram district, died in Saudi Arabia's Riyadh on Saturday. He was suffering from high fever and undergoing treatment at the Saudi German Hospital in Riyadh for the past four days. Shabnaz, hailing from Panoor municipality in Kannur district, died here on Saturday due to coronavirus complications. He was 29.
UAE
Harris Kolathaayi, 37, from Paravoor, Alacheri in Kerala's Kannur district succumbed to the coronavirus in Ajman, UAE on Monday. Thrissur native Pareed, 67, had died in Dubai on last week.
Mumbai
Thalassery native Ashokan died in Mumbai last week.
