36 found infected after quarantine period also: Defence spokesman
Atleast 1,036 Indian citizens post-testing for Covid-19 at Iran were evacuated in five batches to India and among them 36 are infected after completing the mandatory quarantine period.
As per the Defence Ministry spokesman told upon their arrival, they were quarantined for 14 days as per Indian Council of Medical Research guidelines (ICMR) at Army Wellness Facility Centres at Jaisalmer and Jodhpur.
“The quarantine period of batch one and three have been extended by another 14 days, as per IMCR guidelines,” the spokesman said.
Col Sombit Ghosh, PRO at Rajasthan told that on completion of the quarantine period, the evacuees were tested in India at AlIMS, Jodhpur, wherein out of the 236 evacuees of the first batch, 15 asymptomatic persons tested positive from March 28 onwards. They were shifted to AlIMS, Jodhpur,” he said.
Sombit also said the second batch of 53 students tested negative and efforts are underway to ensure their earliest return home. In the third batch of 195 evacuees, only two persons have tested positive to date, ”he said.
While at Jodhpur facility, he said 19 positive cases have been reported out of the 552 evacuees, who have been isolated at AIIMS and MDM hospitals in Jodhpur.
“The remaining persons are undergoing quarantine at the Army facility. As a consequence of the Army’s diligent and systematic efforts, the asymptomatic evacuees who tested positive have been prevented from becoming vehicles of contamination to other parts of the nation,” Spokesman said.
As per ICMR directives, he said the quarantine period of batch one and three have been extended by another 14 days. Even smaller clusters of 25-50 people have been made to further reduce the chances of community spread and ensure their early return home, he said.
While replying to question, why Kashmiri students were not allowed to return home after completion of their quarantine period, Sombit said among the 5 groups that were evacuated from Iran, 36 have been found positive.
