Jalandhar: 45 Gandhi Vanita Ashram inmates infected

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 22

Fortyfive inmates and five staff members of the Gandhi Vanita Ashram here tested positive on Thursday.

The infected staff members — a superintendent, a house mother, a peon, attendant and a woman police constable — are under home quarantine.

Notably, the Children’s Home and Children’s Home for Girls are two neighbouring facilities housed within the premises of the Gandhi Vanita Ashram. The twin home collectively houses about 150 inmates with 100 girls at the Children’s Home and 50 at the Children’s Home for Girls.

Child Development Project Officer, Jalandhar, Garry Randhawa said, “In all, 45 girls at the Children’s Home have tested positive. The superintendent of the Children’s Home for Girls was the first to get infected after which four other staff members tested positive. The infection might have been spread by the police personnel, who keep visiting there. Meanwhile, all 50 inmates of the Children’s Home for Girls have tested negative.”

He said, “The infected girls shall be quarantined in the halls on the ground floor. All of them are asymptomatic.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori said, “Rest of the staff and inmates of the ashram have also been tested. The arrangements to quarantine the infected persons are being made on the premises.”