Admn scales up isolation centres to house 2.6k returnees

Ludhiana: It’s going to be an arduous task for the administration and health department to screen and quarantine 2,608 people, who will return to the district from different parts of India and world this week.
The administration is planning to rope in hotels which could be converted into isolation or quarantine centres.
All the people entering Ludhiana will be screened, tested and quarantined in isolation wards of government centres. In total, there are 450 isolation wards in government hospitals and 84 isolation wards — 37 in Ludhiana, 19 in Khanna and 28 in Jagraon — in private hospitals. As of now, 361 isolation wards are occupied in government hospitals and 23 wards in private hospitals.
Sanyam Aggarwal, nodal officer, Covid-19, said, “People returning from other states will be quarantined for 14 days in government isolation centres. We are trying to rope in hotels for the purpose. Officials are also identifying buildings and schools in villages in consultation with sarpanches, which can be converted into isolation or quarantine centres. Panchayats and sarpanches have been directed to increase vigil in their respective areas to check the spread of Covid-19.”
Started shifting to respective villages
The district administration has started shifting suspected Covid-19 patients to their respective villages from the isolation centre set up at meritorious school. Upon reaching their villages, these people would remain in quarantine in their own villages.
Sanyam Aggarwal said, “A total of 247 persons with very little symptoms were brought to the isolation centre at meritorious school, out of which 22 students (who had returned from Kota in Rajasthan) have been sent for quarantine at Parker House in Punjab Agricultural University. Besides, 40 other persons have already been shifted to their villages.”
“Samples of these persons had been taken and they all had tested negative. And now, they are being shifted to their respective villages to complete their 14-day quarantine period so that they remain mentally and emotionally strong as they would be close to their family members now,” he added.
Screening certificate must for those leaving district
Travellers who are going back to their places via taxis or own vehicles have to undergo screening and will be issued a screening certificate. Only after getting the certificate, they will be allowed to get a pass to travel outside the district. There are seven screening stations in all 7 sub-divisions.
For Ludhiana residents, the civil hospital is a designated screening centre. People have to visit sub-divisional hospitals in Khanna, Samrala, Jagraon and Raikot for the purpose. In Koom Kalan and Payal division, people have to approach community health centres for the certificate.
Returnees expected this week
2309 | From different parts of India
Uttar Pradesh 803 | Bihar 492 | Delhi 167 | Maharashtra 125 | Haryana 102 | Himachal Pradesh 93 | Rajasthan 64 | Uttarakhand 61 | Gujarat 55 | Karnataka 52 | West Bengal 52 | Chandigarh 45| Madhya Pradesh 42 | Jharkhand 33 | Tamil Nadu 28 | Jammu And Kashmir 27 | Andhra Pradesh 15 | Telangana 12 | Odisha 11 | Kerala 9 | Chhattisgarh7 | Goa 7 | Assam 4 | Sikkim 1 | Ladakh 1
299 | From different countries
Australia 63 | Canada 48 | United Arab Emirates 43 | United States 26 | Malaysia 20 | United Kingdom 16 | Ukraine 12 | Singapore 9 | Nepal 7 | Russia 5 | Qatar 5 | New Zealand 5 | Saudi Arabia 3 | Mauritius 3 | Kuwait 3 | Germany 2 | Japan 2 | Algeria 2 | Austria 2 | Cyprus 2 | Azerbaijan 2 | Niger 2 | Zambia 2 | Bahrain 1 | Bermuda (UK) 1 | Brazil 1 | Cape Verde 1 | | Democratic Republic of 1 | Finland 1 | France 1 | Haiti 1 | Indonesia 1 | Lithuania 1 | Norway 1 | Oman 1 | Philippines 1 | San Marino 1 | Sweden 1
Screening Centres
Ludhiana | Civil Hospital
Khanna | Sub-divisional hospital
Samrala | Sub-divisional hospital
Jagraon | Sub-divisional hospital
Raikot | Sub-divisional hospital
Koom Kalan | Community Health Centre
Payal | Community Health Centre