Many fear of infection, say inmates at Manipur quarantine centre

Kangpokpi: In an alarming situation, people staying at the Presidency College quarantine centre at Motbung in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district have raised concerns over lack of basic amenities, including water supply, electricity and separate rooms amid the rapid rise of COVID-19 cases from the facility.

Altogether, around 129 Delhi returnees are undergoing quarantine at the centre since May 28 and as per norms, they completed the mandatory 14 days’ quarantine period on Thursday (June 11).

However, since the centre has been declared as a containment zone by the district administrator after 37 of them — 17 cases on June 6 and another 20 on June 8 — were found to have tested positive for COVID-19, they will now remain at the centre until the health officials issue them a discharge certificate after declaring them free from the virus, as per reports.

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Speaking with EastMojo, district chief medical officer Dr Nilakanta said that as per the protocol laid down for containment zones, people at the Presidency College quarantine centre will continue to stay until they test negative for COVID-19. We are waiting for the sample retest results from JNIMS.

Result of the three samples from the first sampling collection on June 2 are still pending for unknown reasons, Dr Nilakanta added.

As per reports, the first samples from the centre were collected on June 2, of which 17 tested positive for COVID-19. Hhowever, after the inmates demanded for another retest, sampling was done again on June 8.

Delhi returnees at the centre are worried of infecting the virus owing to co-inmates getting tested positive and lack of basic amenities at the centre.

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As per reliable sources, 60 male returnees were put in one hall with few metres apart for social distancing. However, following some of the co-inmates testing positive for the virus, they protested and later, they were shifted to rooms with two or three persons sharing the space now.

“It has been two days since I am having a sore throat and I am mentally disturbed now after two of my roommates here tested positive for COVID-19. Moreover, I am still waiting for the test results, said one of the inmates staying at the institutional quarantine centre at Kangpokpi.

Many staying here now fear of getting infected with the virus, especially the boys section, since around 60 male returnees are getting water supply from a single hand pump at the centre, the inmate said.

” am totally dismayed towards the management in-charge for their inactive cooperation towards the inmates, local clubs and civil society. Up to 37 cases in a single quarantine centre is huge and it requires special attention,” said Michael Haokip, secretary general of Thadou Students’ Association.

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On the other hand, the administration has raised concern after reports of some inmates at the center engaged on indulging to intoxicating items in a time of crisis like this and neglecting on social distancing and other guidelines laid down by the government.

When even a normal person is finding difficulties to follow the SoPs and safety guidelines round the clock, if they are into intoxicants and not sober, it is beyond control to follow the guidelines, said the sources.

As per sources, on June 9 night, when they were protesting against the lack of facilities, some of them were not even able to stand properly.

The district administration is running at least 36 institutional quarantine centres housing around 2,000 returnees.

Moreover, so far, the district has recorded 46 cases of the novel coronavirus, including 37 from the Presidency College quarantine centre alone.

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