PIL for disclosure of Covid patients’ identity dismissed

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:23.04.2020

The Madras high court on Wednesday dismissed a public interest writ petition for disclosure of the identity of Covid-19 patients in Tamil Nadu, so people who were in contact with them could quarantine themselves.

The PIL also wanted the court to direct authorities to monitor Covid-19 patients for at least 3 months to ensure that they are isolated from all kinds of social activities.

Refusing to entertain the PIL, a division bench of Justices M Sathyanarayanan and M Nirmal Kumar dismissed the petition moved by K Narayanan of Chennai.

“Considering the nature of the contagious disease and the impact it could have on public, unless the identity of affected persons is revealed it is impossible for others to know whether they have come across an infected person and decide on self-quarantining. This is not a disease like HIV to withhold the identity of patients. This is a contagious disease which can spread to hundreds of people and therefore, it is necessary that the identity of the parties are revealed so that others can take preventive measures,” the petitioner said.

According to the petitioner, the Union and state government have announced the nationwide lockdown to contain the outbreak of Covid-19 which has killed hoardes across the globe. However, the identity of persons infected or affected by the virus is not being revealed by authorities to maintain privacy of the patients as it is believed that revealing their identity would harm the patients and their family.

The PIL also wanted authorities to monitor Covid-19 patients for at least 3 months to ensure that they are isolated from all kinds of social activities