Over 100 inmates overstay in Bokaro

Bokaro: Over one hundred migrants are currently overstaying in different institutionalised quarantine centres in the district even after completing their mandatory 14-day period because of delay in arrival of their Covid-19 test results.
District authorities said they are finding it difficult to manage resources at the centres amid the growing number of returnees. They are, however, not allowed to release anyone, who should compulsorily undergo testing, without the negative reports. The samples are sent to PMCH in Dhanbad, which is also overloaded.
Civil surgeon A K Pathak said, “As per figures available with me, more than 60 migrants are awaiting release from different centres.”
DC Mukesh Kumar said, “We are trying to speed up the installation process of an RT-CPR testing machine in the district to avoid the delays. We are planning to use the district mineral fund trust (DMFT) to buy the necessary equipment.”
The delay in release is also leading to anxiety among the inmates who tend to create ruckus, officials said.
Sources said test reports of more than 400 samples sent between May 18 and 31 are pending with PMCH. So far, more than 25,613 migrants have returned to the district. Of them, 13,521 were in home quarantine while about 4,825 were in quarantine centres. A district health official said they are receiving several calls from the centres set up at offices like GGPS, ANM training institute and others, requesting permission to release the inmates. He said, “We are now releasing only those whose samples were not sent as testing is not mandatory, after they completed the quarantine period.”