Muneeb-ul-Islam
Anantnag, July 22: At a time when authorities have decided to reduce the quarantine period from 14 to 10 days for asymptomatic patients in Kashmir Valley, Chief Medical Officer Anantnag says he has no information about the government order and once he will receive the order, till then asymptomatic patients have to complete 14 days quarantine period.
Sources told news agency KNT that a large number of asymptomatic Covid suspects are in different Isolation Centres of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district and some of them have even completed their quarantine period. However, health authorities are managing the affairs in their own way and forcing these patients to stay in quarantine for longer period.
Government on July 16 in a bid to lessen the burden of the hospitals and Isolation Centres issued guidelines asking health authorities to reduce the quarantine period from 14 to 10 days and sent asymptomatic patients for home quarantine. However, the situation in Anantnag is altogether different.
A large number of asymptomatic pregnant ladies are now facing mental trauma as they are not being discharged. In Larkipora Isolation Centre a large number of asymptomatic patients are still admitted and not home quarantined. Same is the case with Trauma Hospital Bijbehara.
“My wife is asymptomatic and completed her quarantine period at Larkipora Isolation Centre and yet she is not being discharged though her repeated tests have been found negative,” said Ajaz Ahmed.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Muktar Ahmed said that he has no knowledge about the diminution of quarantine period. “I haven’t received any guideline from the government and once I will receive, those guidelines will be implemented in letter and spirit,” he said.
