Tension in Madurai as flyers from Dubai object to quarantine

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Madurai:20.03.2020

Tension prevailed at the Madurai airport on Thursday after 144 passengers who returned from Dubai by a SpiceJet flight refused to co-operate and be quarantined for 14 days as mandated as a precaution against Covid-19 spread. However, after health officials and police held talks with them, they were shifted to the quarantine facilities.

The passengers arrived at the airport where they were mandatorily screened by health officials for Covid-19. All of them were to be quarantined for 14 days. However, asection of them started to argue that only those with symptoms need to be quarantined while the others should get to go home. They refused to board the bus kept ready to take them to the quarantine facilities. The passengers were also reportedly not happy with the arrangements made at the facilities.

Finally, after the intervention of health and police officials, all 144 passengers were taken to the quarantine facilities at Chinna Udaipu and Austinpatti on the outskirts of Madurai, where 120 beds and 60 beds each have been set up. “Only a few among the 144 were resisting. We later ensured all of them are in quarantine,” said a health official.

Earlier in the day, residents in and around Chinna Udaipu protested near the facility stating that they fear the possible spread of Covid-19 from those quarantined. Officials held talks with the residents and allayed their fears.

“People’s irrational fear of Covid-19 is the reason for such protests. We urge the public to be aware of the facts and not believe in rumours. As for quarantine, we are already only letting those without symptoms stay in the facility. If anyone is showing symptoms, we have ambulances ready and will immediately shift them to a hospital,” said a health official.

Meanwhile, as many as 10 people were booked for triggering a panic about Covid-19 spread and staging a road roko against setting up a temporary medical camp at a private women’s college hostel at Sainathapuram in Vellore city on Wednesday night .

Residents living close to the college registered their opposition to the move fearing they would be easy prey to the Covid-19. Officials from the district administration have decided to set up the facility elsewhere.

Police detained 10 people for staging the road roko, triggering panic among other residents , police said.