Warning letters to those refusing isolation, testing

Nagpur: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) health department is on high alert following detection of new Omicron variant BA.5 among two city patients. However, uncooperative Covid positive patients are posing a challenge before the zonal medical teams which are helpless due to lack of stringent provisions like those invoked during earlier waves under of the Epidemic Act.
On Thursday, the civic health team issued warning letters to a couple of Covid patients who refused to go in home isolation and also did not allow for their family members to be tested.
In Ashi Nagar zone, the civic team had informed the local police station too about a man tested for Covid following his reluctance to accept the test report.
“Civic cops are accompanying us during the mass testing drives in different areas or where a Covid patient has been found. A man had tested positive under this drive a couple of days back. He was asymptomatic. He refused to accept the report after which his family and landlord who are close contacts, too declined to take Covid test,” said a medical officer.
The team handed over a letter stating that “he must follow Covid protocol. If he is found violating norms, action will be taken if there is a spread in the area”. A copy of the letter is also given to the police station, officials said.
Mangalwari zone is issuing the warning letters to all new cases in its jurisdiction. “It is difficult to monitor every patient especially when they don’t have any symptoms. There is some pressure once we hand over the warning,” an official said.
The NMC has started mass testing at government offices, for frontline workers and at some point of entries at railway station and airport to ensure infected persons do not spread the disease. During the health surveys, civic teams have also found that most of the patients are having flu-like symptoms of fever, bodyache and sore throat. Many also don’t have any travel history but they are testing positive.
Municipal commissioner Radhakrishnan B told TOI that since the situation is well under control, they are creating awareness and making appeals to follow Covid-apt behaviour. “Government is monitoring the situation and accordingly may take steps. But we should not allow that to happen and before that people should cooperate. If need arises, we may use powers under Epidemic Act,” the civic chief said.