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Coronavirus Update:People escaping quarantine will invite action, says government
Ministry officials noted that prevention of “speed of transmission and peak of transmission” were of immediate concerns and social distancing was the most potent measure to break the chain of transmission.
India has 206 positive cases of covid-19 disease and 6700 people were being monitored across the country, the health ministry said on Friday and added that the four casualties were elderly citizens with co-morbidity, meaning, they were also suffering from other serious ailments.
Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary in the health ministry said that states were empowered to act against those violating the guidelines including people escaping from government quarantine facilities or home quarantine endangering other people. This instruction follows incidents of people running away from isolation wards or quarantine facilities and mixing with the non-infected population.
“The states have not only been instructed to take all necessary action, but are also empowerd through law to ensure that people put under quarantine do not escape and are dealt with firmly in case of non-compliance,” the ministry official said.
Ministry officials noted that prevention of “speed of transmission and peak of transmission” were of immediate concerns and social distancing was the most potent measure to break the chain of transmission.
“You must have noticed that the cases have increased in the last few days and 100% commitment to social distancing is required to cut the chain of transmission,” the official said.
Replying to a question referring to celebrity Kanika Kapoor turning positive for the disease and the possibility of several others who came in contact with the artist also getting affected, the official said all citizens should take necessary precautions to prevent the disease from spreading.
The officials added that only 10% of all coronavirus testing facility available with the government was currently in use and the decision to rope in the private players for testing was taken keeping the possibility that the transmission of the disease could progress to the third stage.
The ministry said it had already instructed state governments on required measures to prevent community transmission including work for home option for government employees on alternate days, cutting down on public transport services, cancellation of mass gathering events, crowd and disinfection management at public places like train and bus stations.
The health ministry officials also reiterated the need to follow some of the other key messages in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation and added that the elderly and children should stay home as far as possible.
“Our prime minister has outlined two ways of fighting this disease, one by not letting it enter the country and second by stopping its transmission inside the country through social distancing,” it must be followed.
The officials said it was important to postpone elective surgeries and visits to the hospitals for normal health check-ups etc to prevent an extra burden on medical professionals.
