Govt stamps ‘home quarantine’ on those who fled to native places

PUNE: After large number of residents in panic exited from the city earlier this week over Covid-19 (coronavirus) spread fears following orders of lockdown by the

PUNE: After large number of residents in panic exited from the city earlier this week over Covid-19 (coronavirus) spread fears following orders of lockdown by the state government, the Pune district administration grapples the issue of possibility that some of them, who commuted through mass transport, may have been infected by the Sars-Cov-2 virus.

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To tackle the issue, the administration has ordered “home quarantine” for all those returnees to towns and villages during the past one week. Those who travelled to their native villages within Maharashtra will be stamped regularly by rural health officers from respective districts.

The district administration has taken a serious view of home quarantined patients found violating isolation norms and social directives. A few days ago, a family that returned to Pune from Dubai and were advised home quarantine tried to move out of the house. The neighbours who spotted the family leaving their house alerted the administration.

Divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar said that patients detected positive were directed to be home quarantined in their native places. “The health officials will stamp them and regional rural officials will keep a regular check on them and submit report to the state government,” said Mhaisekar.

The administration had to seek the help of police to locate three quarantined patients who escaped from the government hospital in Ahmednagar. Orders have been issued to register cases against those found breaking home quarantine rules.

Meanwhile, complaints continue to pour in from those who returned to their villages from Mumbai and Pune and face boycott. Rajesh Tope, state health minister, on Tuesday said, “I have received complaints where villagers have banned entry to those returning from Mumbai and Pune fearing Sars-Cov-2 virus infection. Such acts amount to social boycott and the government will act against the offenders.”

Tope’s remarks came after villagers boycott five youths in Hingoli district.

At Adgaon village in Hingoli, five youths faced boycott as they returned from Mumbai. “Police patil came to my home and asked me if I have been tested…I said my screening was done. Later, I went to primary health centre, but the sarpanch called police and asked villagers to boycott us. Our families have been boycotted,” said one of the five youth.