Madurai
The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Tuesday took suo motu cognisance of various news reports that pointed to the delay in disclosing the results of swab samples that were taken for COVID-19 test.
A Division Bench of Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and P. Rajamanickam directed the Dean of the Government Rajaji Hospital and the Special Officer for monitoring COVID-19 in Madurai district to file a status report in the case.
The court put forth a series of queries for the State to answer with regard to the COVID-19 situation in Madurai district. The court sought a response for the reasons behind the delay in announcing the results of tests taken in respect of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.
Further, the court asked the State government whether the district administration and the health officials were fully geared to do periodical tests and the availability and use of RT-PCR test kits in a speedy and timely manner.
The details on the availability of wards, quarantine, isolation wards to keep and treat symptomatic patients, sanitation and basic facilities as these wards and the availability of personal protective equipment to frontline workers were sought.
The court sought details on crematorium and burial facilities for burying those who died of COVID-19 pandemic and asked if private hospitals were insisting on COVID-19 test on those patients who wanted to get treated for other ailments.
During the course of the hearing, Additional Advocate General K. Chellapandian submitted the details of the COVID-19 status in Madurai district. The case was adjourned till August 4 for filing a comprehensive status report.