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Assam to quarantine all returnees
Earlier, Assam government had decided to test all passengers coming to the state, but with trains starting to bring back passengers in thousands, the strategy has been changed as per Centre’s directives.
Assam government on Tuesday stated that while all passengers returning by trains to the state will have to undergo mandatory quarantine for 9 to 14 days, only those who show symptoms for Covid-19 will be tested.
“As per Centre’s guidelines, samples of only those symptomatic for Covid-19 will be collected and tested. But everyone coming back will have to undergo quarantine for 9 to 14 days,” Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
Earlier, Assam government had decided to test all passengers coming to the state, but with trains starting to bring back passengers in thousands, the strategy has been changed as per Centre’s directives.
“Earlier we were dealing with very few cases. But the scenario has changed from Tuesday. It will be impossible to test thousands of passengers returning by trains as it will take many days to get results,” Sarma said.
The first train carrying nearly 1000 passengers from Delhi to Dibrugarh in Assam will reach its destination on Wednesday. The service will continue daily for another week bringing back nearly 7,000 passengers. The state government has also requested five trains from Indian Railways to bring nearly 10,000 workers from various places in South India and West India.
Passengers arriving by trains will be screened at railways stations. While those showing symptoms for Covid-19 will be taken to hospitals, others will be taken by buses to their home districts where they will be placed in facility quarantine.
After completion of 9 to 14 days, the passengers will be placed under home quarantine along with other family members. Committees will be formed in each block and village to ensure compliance of home quarantine guidelines.
“We have asked all 33 districts to set up quarantine facilities for 2,000-2,500 persons each. But if the number of returnees keeps increasing, we might have to set up quarantine facilities in each of the 126 assembly constituencies in the state,” Sarma said.
From May 4 till May 12, a total of 3,597 persons stranded in other parts of the country had arrived in Assam by road using own vehicles and buses. Likewise, 3,507 persons stranded in other states in northeast had returned to the state.
“Test results of these persons are still coming. Most of the results, except one, have tested negative and these persons would soon be released from facility quarantine,” Sarma said.
Till Tuesday, a total of 65 Covid-19 positive cases have been detected in Assam. While two patients have died, 40 have recovered, 23 others are recovering in various hospitals.
