Health Department will launch quaranting operations of all passengers from four Gulf nations

Based on an advisory from the Centre, the Health department will launch quarantining operations of all passengers arriving from UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) here from Wednesday evening. Passengers (Indians and foreigners) arriving from China, Iran, Korea, Italy, France, Germany and Spain at Shamshabad are also being quarantined.

At present, there are 221 passengers quarantined in Vikarabad and Dulapally quarantine facilities while another 1,238 passengers are under home isolation across Hyderabad. In the coming days, depending on the infrastructure, authorities are planning to isolate passengers hailing from Telangana, who arrive from these countries, in their respective districts.

“We have decided to quarantine all passengers who arrive from countries that are impacted by Covid-19. We are creating required infrastructure to keep them quarantined and provide them with good facilities,” Health Minister Etela Rajender said. Diagnostic facilities have been scaled up and diagnostic tests can be done at six laboratories at Gandhi Hospital, Fever Hospital, Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM), Osmania Medical College (OMC), MGM Warangal and Nizam’s Institute of Medical College (NIMS).

Acknowledging vulnerability at inter-State



borders, the Health Minister said efforts were on to strengthen surveillance along the borders.

“We have already established medical teams at several locations along the Telangana-Maharashtra border. More such mobile camps will be set up,” he said.

On some local residents protesting against the location of the quarantine facility in Vikarabad and Dulapally, Rajender said, “These quarantined persons are not Covid-19 positive patients. The local leaders must not spread panic and misinformation among the community.” Several passengers returning from Covid-19 affected countries were requesting be allowed to remain in self or home quarantine.

“We will consider their requests. We also want to assure that we are providing all possible facilities to Covid-19 positive cases at Gandhi Hospital and all the quarantined passengers. We are providing good food, WiFi and other facilities,” he said.

The Health Minister said Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao was overseeing the entire Covid-19 preparedness in Telangana and added: “The Chief Minister is reviewing the entire situation on an hourly basis and has directed us to provide best facilities to corona victims and quarantined passengers,” he said.