97 more returnees in Hailakandi put under institutional quarantine

A CORRESPONDENT

HAILAKANDI: Ninety-seven people returned to Hailakandi from Goa and Maharashtra on Monday. The swab samples of all of them have been collected. They have been placed under institutional quarantine.

Health authorities here said that the persons were ferried by buses from Guwahati after they had reached from Maharashtra and Goa by train on Sunday.

Of the 97 returnees, 40 are from Goa. Swab samples of all the persons were collected at the Inbound Passenger Facilitation Centre at Dholeswari, bordering Cachar district.

The police administration has warned that those violating home quarantine would be dealt with severely. Superintendent of Police, Pabindra Kumar Nath said the police is keeping a close watch on the people under home quarantine, and those breaking quarantine rules by stepping out of their homes would be punished under the relevant provisions of IPC and Disaster Management Act, 2005.

"Those coming from outside the State and sent from quarantine centres to home quarantine must spend the remaining stipulated quarantine period. The houses will turn into containment zones and all the inmates have to remain indoors," added Nath.

The district police chief urged the people to remain vigil and to report immediately if anyone under home quarantine ventures out.

Nath further informed that all the four containment zones have been sealed and no movement of people and vehicles is allowed.

Following the detection of COVID-19 infected persons under home quarantine at Ward No.6 of Hailakandi municipal area, Hospital Road under Katlicherra revenue circle, Rajeswarpur Part VIII under Lala revenue circle and Panchgram village under Algapur revenue circle were declared containment zones by the district administration to contain the spread of the disease.

According to a health bulletin released on Monday evening, 469 persons are under institutional quarantine while 377 have been shifted to home quarantine. Of the 1,575 swab samples taken till date, 1,344 tested negative while the results of 187 are awaited. All the 107 swab samples turned out to be negative on Monday. The district has recorded 44 COVID-19 positive cases.