Families of Covid patients to be in 14-day quarantine

Gurgaon: Family members of Covid-19 patients who are in home isolation will also have to observe home quarantine for 14 days. The move following an uptick in the city’s Covid cases in the past few weeks.
Officials attributed the rise in cases to public and social gatherings.
“The positivity rate has increased due to outings, family events and parties in the city. more infections are being found in the same family or locality. For instance, 10 commandos were found positive in the NSG while 17 cases were found in a house in Jacobpura, following which the area was declared a large outbreak region,” said Gurgaon chief medical officer Virender Yadav.
Under current protocol, symptomatic Covid patients begin home isolation for 14 days from the day their symptoms appear, while asymptomatic ones start the period from the day they test positive. The same rule will now apply to their families for quarantine too. A poster will be pasted outside the house informing that the family is in quarantine. The MCG will inform the RWA of the area so that essential services can be provided to the families. In some cases, smaller families, including the patient, may be quarantined at Covid care centres to avoid any medical emergencies.
As of Friday, Gurgaon had 11,555 Covid cases, out of which 973 are active. In the last five days, more than 100 cases have been reported daily. During the past week, the doubling rate has quickened from 100 days to 80.
Calling it a ‘wake-up call’, Gurgaon deputy commissioner Amit Khatri said, “We have revisited the containment strategy and have made certain changes, like setting up of LORs and increasing the number of sealed areas.”
Gurgaon divisional commissioner Ashok Sangwan said the city has adequate beds and infrastructure to support the rise in Covid numbers. “It’s a cause for concern but there’s no need from panic. People should avoid social gatherings in the present circumstances and only step out with masks,” he said.
With a view to keep the infections under control, the administration plans to ramp up overall testing with more camps for antigen and RT-PCR testing, CMO Yadav said. Till August 28, 54,694 tests — 29,691 antigen and 25,003 RT-PCR — were done. While 648 samples, or 2%, were positive in antigen testing, 1,714, or nearly 7%, returned positive in RT-PCR tests.