Coronavirus: Delhi tweaks home isolation norms; Discontinues services of Bengaluru-firm

Tweaking one more decision of Arvind Kejriwal government on Covid-19, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Friday made five-day institutional quarantine mandatory for the coronavirus-infected, who were otherwise ordered home isolation.

In a late-night statement, the Delhi government found fault with Baijal's order, saying the "arbitrary decision" will seriously harm" the capital in its fight against the pandemic and why different parameters are being used in the capital when the guidelines of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) are still applicable to the rest of India.

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Through an order, Baijal also discontinued the services of Bengaluru-based M/s Portea, which was hired by the Delhi government to make telephonic contact with home quarantined COVID-19 patients, "with immediate effect.

At present, COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms or are asymptomatic were allowed to undergo medication at home.

In his order, Baijal said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is reviewing the situation regularly and it was observed that 'home isolation' without physical contact to monitor patients could be the reason for increase in COVID-19's spread in the capital.

"To limit the spread of COVID-19, in a view of the surge in cases, it is felt that mandatory physical verification of each case under home isolation needs to be carried out by the surveillance teams...," the order said.

Read: Coronavirus: Centre cautions states on routine home isolation

"Five days institutional quarantine of each case under home quarantine is to be made mandatory and thereafter will be sent for home isolation except in case where symptoms require further hospitalisation," it added.

Responding to the new order, a Delhi government spokesperson said the capital's home isolation programme has been "one of the most successful initiatives" in the battle against coronavirus.

"Home isolation encouraged a lot of people with minor symptoms to come out and test as they knew that they would not be taken to a hospital or quarantine centre forcibly. Today’s order of the Centre stopping home isolation will discourage people from testing and further spread Corona as asymptomatic and mild symptoms patients will resist testing and will not be quarantined," the spokesperson warned.

"ICMR guidelines are still applicable to the rest of India, then why are there different parameters for Delhi? There is already a serious shortage of doctors and nurses to treat serious patients, where would medical manpower come for taking care of these quarantine centres?" the spokesperson said demanding that the order be withdrawn.