Tripura mulls to set up village-level quarantine centers to fight against COVID-19

In an apparent bid to thwart the COVID-19 to enter the community transmission level here in Tripura, the state government is contemplating to set up institutional quarantine centers at the village level so that homebound Tripura citizens arriving from several states of the country could be put under surveillance in their own locality. 

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who also holds the charge of health, revealed his mind to set up such arrangement in the community level on Wednesday while interacting with the Panchayat and village council elected members here through telephone.

The development, which has come close on the heels of a big spike of cases in Tripura, especially when the homebound Tripura Citizens are returning, assumed huge significance as there were complaints pouring in from several coteries against the government’s management of COVID-19 situation in the state.    

Also read: Tripura: Govt to rethink schools reopening from June as COVID-19 cases rise

Such facility quarantine centers will function under the supervision of the Health Department by maintaining hygiene and other guidelines, the Chief Minister said.

Expressing hope, he also said such facility quarantine centres will play a vital role to prevent transmission of novel coronavirus chain in the village level.

In the teleconference, the Chief Minister also asked the secretaries of local bodies to ensure quarantine of all coming from other states.

Meanwhile, the state government has also prepared a bunch of guidelines for setting up of village quarantine centres.

As per the guidelines, all the returnees may be quarantined in the village quarantine centers for a period of 14 days and thereafter the Panchayat / Village Committee with proper records may release them.

Also read: Tripura: Now, US-Canada like smart border to enhance trans-border business

The Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) under guidance of District Magistrates will be overall in-charge of all village quarantine facilities under his sub-division and ensure that these centres are run properly and norms of social distancing, wearing of mask, frequent sanitization and regular health check-up are followed properly.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also laid stress so that all the government assistance announced by the State and Centre reaches the actual beneficiaries. He also appealed to keep the entire process free of corruption.

COVID-19 scenario in Tripura and Northeast

Tipura has registered second-highest confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Northeast. The SARS-CoV-2 has infected 230 people in the state; of which 165 have been cured or discharged.

Meanwhile, Assam has reported highest number of novel coronavirus cases. It has detected a total of 783 confirmed COVID-19 cases and claimed four lives. Of which, 689 are active cases and 87 have been cured or discharged and three were migrated.

Manipur has 44 positive cases followed by 20 in Meghalaya, four in Manipur and one each in Mizoram and Sikkim.

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