125 migrants test -ve, sent home after 14-day quarantine

TNN | Apr 13, 2020, 04:00 IST

Migrant people departing for their places from shelter homes in Mohansarai and Pindra areas

Varanasi: The fear of coronavirus outbreak due to large scale influx of migrant workers from Delhi and NCR between March 28 and 31 eased a bit as 125 labourers hailing from the city and villages in Varanasi district tested negative for Covid-19 infection and were sent home from the shelters where they had been kept.
Officials are waiting for further instructions from government on 511 migrant labourers, who belong to other districts and states, and have tested negative.
District magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma told TOI on Sunday, “A total of 636 migrant workers who had arrived from Delhi and NCR between March 28 and 31 were quarantined in five shelter homes set up in two private schools and one Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya at Rajatalab and Pindra areas. Of them, 125 who are from city and nearby villages tested Covid-19 negative and their 14-day quarantine had completed.”
“They were sent to their homes. One bus each was arranged at Rajatalab and Pindra to drop them home. Before their departure, they were made to fill quarantine form and were also given instructions for taking all precautions for next 14 days at home,” Sharma added.
One shelter home at a private school in Pindra has been closed, the district magistrate said.
“The reports of the samples of 511 migrant workers hailing from other districts of east UP and neighbouring states like Bihar have also arrived and they have also tested negative,” said Sharma.
They are still in the shelter homes. “We have informed the higher authorities about them also and are waiting for directions on the checks and procedure to be followed for sending them home. The travel arrangements for them will be made as per the directives of the government,” he said.