NEW DELHI: All 406 evacuees from Wuhan, quarantined at an Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) facility in Delhi, had tested negative for COVID-19 and are being discharged in a phased manner. However, they need to be quarantined at home for another 14 days owing to the uncertainty about the incubation period of the virus, stated an official.

Dr A P Joshi, chief medical officer at ITBP stated, “These people will be regularly monitored and their health parameters will be charted by state health agencies with the help of local health authorities and nearby hospitals to ensure there is no infection.” A group of 200 people, including seven Maldivian nationals, who were among 406 quarantined at ITBP’s Chhawla Camp, were discharged on Monday. “The rest will be sent on Tuesday and in the subsequent days as per the travel plans of the inmates,” the official said.

Health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan had visited the Chhawla facility and interacted with the evacuees on Monday. The evacuees were briefed about the steps taken by the government to fight the deadly virus and the precautions to be taken. The discharged evacuees were each given a rose and a packet containing the annual ITBP calendar by the minister as a token of remembrance.

The evacuees thanked the government, medical staff and ITBP personnel for making sure that there was proper food, hygiene, hot water, indoor games and entertainment for them at the quarantine facility.

Source: ET Healthworld