All asymptomatic, in good health
Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Mar 31: After spending 14 days in mandatory quarantine here, more than 70 people today headed home as they all remained asymptomatic during the period.
All these people were kept in Hotel Heemal in Srinagar where they spent their quarantine time making it first of its kind where those kept in quarantine completed their time and walked home.
As per officials, 78 people today walked home in good health after being quarantined. All of them had returned from Leh and were put in quarantine soon after their arrival.
Officials in the Health Department told Excelsior that those who were sent home today were all asymptomatic and were in good health. “They were all asymptomatic, so they were not tested; they walked home and will be just observed at their respective places,” the official said.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Srinagar, Syed Haneef Balkhi while talking to Excelsior said that these people have set an example for others and have played their bit in fighting the Coronavirus pandemic.
Balkhi who is also the in-charge of quarantine in Srinagar said that these people belonged to districts like Kupwara, Baramulla, Anantnag, Pulwama. “Few were also from Chanapora and Nishat; all walked home teaching us a lot about fighting the crisis,” he said.
“They all had come from Leh in a flight earlier this month and were put into quarantine; they have done an amazing job,” he said.
He said that people should understand the importance of quarantine in breaking the chain of the infection which is spreading. “People should not panic but should cooperate with the authorities at this crucial juncture,” he said.
The faces of these people were reflecting hope and determination of doing whatever is required to fight the deadly COVID-19.
Meanwhile, altogether different scenes were witnessed as these people walked out of the hotel today morning. Police personnel standing there cheered for them as they passed by-applauding them for the role they played in dealing with the pandemic by completing the quarantine time.
The administration had made all the arrangements to drop these 78 people home as the SRTC buses were waiting for them outside the hotel.
It is pertinent to mention here that soon after the positive cases started being reported from Leh, the district administration Srinagar ordered that every passenger coming from Leh by flight will be quarantined for 14 days. These 78 persons were quarantined under that order.
The district administration was also worried about the trend where the people were rampantly hiding their travel histories. However, the scenario, as per the officials seems to have changed as the number of people under observation has seen a giant increase.
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