Chandigarh Administration takes up matter with Mohali

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 6

A day after Covid-19 positive patient fled the city to his hometown in Uttar Pradesh, putting several lives in danger, the UT Administration today raised the matter with its Mohali counterpart during a video conference of tricity DCs.

“We raised the issue with the Punjab Government. How could they allow him to go before his test result was out? Even if one has to be allowed to isolate oneself at home, there is a process that needs to be followed. And an undertaking is required from the person. It is also to be checked whether he has a separate room for isolation,” said a top UT officer.

“It is a gross negligence on part of the Civil Hospital, Mohali. It is a crime on part of the patient to have travelled 800 kms on motorcycle, violating the lockdown,” he added.

Mohali DC Girish Dayalan said: “They (UT) had discussed the matter. Without test report result, he could not have been quarantined at the hospital. We had directed him to do the same at his home.”

Mohali Civil Surgeon Manjeet Singh said: “The patient had mild symptoms. Thus, he was asked to isolate himself after being tested.”

Timely call

The 34-year-old man, who rode a bike with a pillion rider from Sector 56 to Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh, got a call from a doctor when he was 20 km away from his village.

“The doctor told him he was Covid positive. The patient called the village pradhan. He was shifted to a hospital and the pillion rider has been home quarantined,” Udaipur police station SHO told The Tribune over phone.

Meanwhile, in Chandigarh, about 70-80 of his contacts in Sector 56 and Sector 52, have been home quarantined.