Assam to quarantine all returnees

GUWAHATI : The Assam government said on Tuesday that while all passengers returning by trains to the state will have to undergo mandatory quarantine for nine 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 nine 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 about 1,000 passengers from Delhi to Dibrugarh in Assam will reach its destination on Wednesday. The service will continue daily for another week, bringing back over 7,000 passengers.

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 nine 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.