COVID: CM Kejriwal opposes L-G’s 5-day mandatory institutional quarantine order in Delhi

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has taken strong objection to Delhi Lieutenant General (LG) Anil Baijal's decision of five-day compulsory institutional quarantine for COVID-19 patients in Delhi, at State Disaster Manment Authority (SDMA) meeting, held on Saturday.

Baijal had on Friday issued an order stating that every COVID-19 positive person in national capital will have to stay in 5-day institutional quarantine.

READ | Centre Hits Out At 'mischievous Interpretation' Of PM Modi's Comments On LAC Faceoff

READ | PM Modi Launches Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan For Migrants; Assures Jobs Near ir Homes

"Every corona positive person will have to stay in quarantine centre for 5 days. Only n a person will be sent to home isolation. But if re are symptoms n y will be sent to quarantine centre or hospital, accordingly," order issued by LG read.

"Under supervision of District Magistrate, team of District Surveillance Officers will do physical verification of everyone in home isolation," it added.

In order, Anil Baijal said it was observed that home isolation without physical monitoring of COVID-19 patient may be one of reasons for spike in spread of coronavirus infection in Delhi. To limit spread of COVID-19 in national capital, it was felt that mandatory physical verification of each case under home isolation needs to be carried out by district surveillance officers.

chief minister said that re is a short of health care workers in Delhi and LG's order will over-burden health care system in Delhi as it won't be possible to arrange for nurses and doctors for thousands of patients at quarantine centres. He also argued that order will scare asymptomatic and people with mild symptoms of getting mselves tested which might lead to furr spread of disease.

READ | Delhi HC Asks Govt To Take Action Against Hospital If Found Guilty Of Negligence In Duty

READ | Pakistan-origin Man Convicted Of Terrorism In US Faces Charges In 26/11 Mumbai Attacks

Kejriwal also questioned as to protocol of home quarantine for asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic has been followed by ICMR across country n why are different rules implemented in Delhi. Due to opposing opinions, re was consensus on issues, and hence meeting has been rescheduled for 5 pm today.

Delhi has reported 53,116 COVID-19 cases as on Saturday, of which 27,512 are active, 23,569 have been cured and discharged whereas 2,035 have succumbed to virus, according to  Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

(With ANI inputs)