IUST designated as quarantine center
Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, Mar 27: At least 250 persons who have concealed travel history have been identified by special surveillance teams in last two days in several areas of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
These people were traced in different areas including Pampore, Kakapora, Awantipora, Tral and Pulwama areas of the district. These people had travelled to COVID-19 affected countries and other affected areas of the country and had hidden their travel history from local health or revenue authorities.
The local administration said with the efforts of special surveillance teams comprising of village heads, Asha workers, Government employees, police were able to trace them. They were later taken to different quarantine centers for screening and quarantine. “So far we have identified around 250 persons with both local and foreign travel history,” said an official.
While 151 have been diverted to the three designated quarantine centers of Pampore- EDI, Kongposh hospital and Hamdandia Darul Aloom- the rest would be sent to the Islamic University of Science and Technology for quarantine.
Dr Mohamamd Ashraf who is privy to the details told Excelsior that the three quarantine centers of Pampore have 104, 47 and 20 persons respectively. “The filling of the Islamic University is underway and actually numbers is yet to be known,” he said.
Tehsildar Pampore Ishtiyaq Mohiuddin told Excelsior that the people who have been traced have foreign and local travel history and they have been registered with the Health and the Revenue Departments. “Some have voluntarily reached us while others have been traced by our team,” he said.
“House owners who give their houses on rent have been instructed to enquire about travel history of their tenants and report that to the authorities,” he said.
The Tehsildar appealed to people to reveal their travel history voluntarily and come forward for screening and quarantine. “When people conceal their travel history, they not only make our job difficult but also put lives of their family members at risk,” he said
He added that there may be many people hiding travel history and they would continue to trace them as their presence poses a risk of community transmission. “They might be roaming freely with this infection and it is imperative to trace and quarantine them.”
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