New Delhi: A group of 83 individuals, who had returned from coronavirus-hit Italy and were taken to the Manesar quarantine facility run by the Indian Army Wednesday, created ruckus demanding better facilities, forcing the police to be called in.
After the police and the Army personnel explained that this is not a “luxury resort”, the group, comprising Indians and foreigners of Indian-origin, relented.
A source said the group had arrived from Italy on an Air India flight (AI138) on 11 March. They were immediately quarantined at the Army facility.
While 74 individuals in the group are Indians, the remaining nine are foreigners of Indian-origin — six Italians and three US nationals.
The source added that when the group reached the facility, they demanded that they be given better facilities, including individual rooms. They said that they were willing to pay for everything.
The matter was finally settled after the police were called in, the source said.
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‘They should understand this isn’t a luxury retreat’
The Army is incurring an expenditure of Rs 3.5 lakh daily for running the facility, the source said.
“They should understand that this is not a luxury retreat that they are booking into. This is a quarantine facility, which provides for all basic requirements,” an officer in the facility said.
While the facility is deemed to be an emergency facility, sources managing the facility said that many quarantined individuals demand special facilities like separate rooms — thus creating hindrances in smooth functioning of the facility.
Since the individuals at the facility have already travelled together, the demand for separate rooms may not find much merit.
Quarantine procedure
Despite individual preferences and demands, the Army has gone about doing its job in the best possible way, the source said.
The Army created the facility where both Indians and foreigners can be monitored for a duration of two weeks by a qualified team of doctors and staffers to spot any signs of infection.
There are 60 Army personnel to run the facility, said the above-quoted source.
So far, a total of 455 individuals who have arrived from Wuhan in China (248), Japan (124) and Italy (83) have been quarantined in three batches at the facility.
The facility consists of accommodation barracks, administrative areas and medical facility area.
To prevent mass outbreak, the facility has been divided into sectors, each with a maximum capacity of 50 individuals. Each sector has been further subdivided into barracks. The population of sectors are not allowed to intermingle.
Patients in the same barrack are allowed to play games, watch TV and have meals together and not with those outside the barrack.
Daily medical examination of all individuals are being done at the facility. Everyone at the facility is also required to wear a three-layered mask round-the-clock.
After 14 days, those with no symptoms are allowed to go home with their detailed documentation sent to the District/State surveillance units for further observation.
Those found infected are shifted to isolation facilities for further medical exams and recovery.
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Gentle what army is doing is out of his duties, we should just thanx those who only obey the orders, it may be good or may be bad.
Penalize these people for knowingly endangering the lives of Indians and attempt to murder and after quarantine send them to gallows.
Such fellows should have be taken back to Italy and left there.
ऐसे लोगों को वापस इटली ही छोड़ आना चाहिए !!
After testing them infected person has been shifted to isolation ward in hospital.They should have gratitude for what Indian army is doing for them.Jai hind.
Just an update… with all your good wishes and blessings, my child and most of the co-travellers’ tests came covid19 negative except one, who is shifted to safdarjung isolation ward. Army folks are taking very good care of all the passengers and making sure to meet most of their requirements and help them pass their time stress-free… Food, snacks, clean linen, toiletries, playing cards, TV. Jawans are selflessly running errands for these folks’ sundry asks, perhaps sometimes unreasonable.
My daughter tells me that a family with children and a pregnant lady were stressed and immediately duty doctor alongwith a gynec arrived to comfort them.
Today all covid19 negative cases are shifted to 4occupancy rooms with attached bath and more comforts.
I can’t be more expressive in thanking our great institution The Indian Army. My respect for defense forces has increased multifold.????
All those who wanted star grade facilities by opting to pay for it should hv bn packed in another plane and sent back to where they came from along with their money. Do they even understand what potentially dangerous possibility they bring along with themselves?
Why government is bringing foreign nationals fo indian origin. Govt has not business bring these people.
Govt should first think of safety of Indian people living in India.
If they want they can be sent back!
italy continues to be a problem for india
I have sympathy for them
Imagine you are a multi millionaire locked in a jail with a TV
They might want more they have never lived this lifestyle
They have never shared a space with 50 people for 14 days
Would Mukesh ambaani or a MLA put in this facility no
Mukesh ambani will hav its hospital dude
And if even they hav to stay in army facility, will remain un same condition. Army is helping them money cant buy u every thing.
Good example, but do you think they will take a janta flight or they will travel by chartered flight ? If they travel by janta flight they will be quarantined this same way. No one’s money is enough to allow him/her to increase risk exposure of others infection. Secondly, I would advise them to count their blessings that they are evacuated and put in safe environment. Otherwise they would have been rotting in highly infected Italian north… Surrounded by uncertainties and not the so called luxuries.
Our Government and Army is still providing the best out of best facilities. Just look at Chinese and Italian quarantine (not to mention Iranian ones) How they are living, co-operative and fighting this pandemic.
Sure .. they deserve better facilities .. so, they should’ve been left in Italy only .. Like the way Pakistani Govt left their students in Wuhan .. Indian govt is considerate and Indn Army has gone out of their way to create a facility which is the responsibility of the civil administration .. one should go and see the plight of govt hospitals .. . They should have been sent to Govt Civil Hosoital ..
I feel people are right here in requesting separate rooms considering how contagious the virus is.
On the diamond princess more people got contaminated inspite of having separate rooms just because the ship is a closed damp unit giving all opportunity for the virus to float through air vents and infect most people.
Even for the Canadians quarantined at Trenton, they had an entire building cordoned off with people separated across rooms to reduce the risk of contamination.
Those infected already were kept in a different Wing altogether let alone another floor.
Indian govt should be a little sensitive of how it treats its citizens but then I am not surprised they are doing this much and supporting it with “This is not a luxury resort statement”!
Dump these spoilt brats on an uninhabited island
It’s not about spoilt brats here. One person with infection can infect all other people in the same room. It’s more about prevention than luxury living.
Facts should be analyzed before strong statements are made on anyone’s intention.
Here infected person has been kept in isolated room..
They should be thankful to the government who rescued them from Italy
I think the Indian Army doctors and other staff members know this better than any spoiled brat. You trust the caretakers and help them make your life comfortable rather than criticising an institution blindly.