Karnataka Govt Can Forcefully Admit Anyone With Coronavirus Symptoms; 11 Arrested For Fake News

The entry of Coronavirus in the country has led to around 73 positive cases in India.

Indian Government has imposed strict actions in the country to curb the spread of the virus after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Covid-19 outbreak a pandemic.

Read to find out how the government is taking the necessary action to those suspected or affected by the Covid-19 virus…

Karnataka Government Invokes Provisions of Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897!

Karnataka became the first state in India to notify regulations to prevent the outbreak and spread of the novel coronavirus. ‘The Karnataka Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 Regulations, 2020’ — notified in the gazette under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, Karnataka — will be in effect for one year from March 11.

The action is being seen by the Karnataka state government as one suspected Covid-19 case was found in Bengaluru. The move gives powers to the state to take action if a patient or his family refuses to cooperate in being quarantined or tested.

Haryana Government Declares Covid-19 as an Epidemic!

The Haryana government on March 12 declared the contagious coronavirus infection an epidemic. According to the state Health Department, 44 samples of suspected cases were sent for tests till March 11 out of which 38 were found negative for coronavirus while reports of six people — four from Gurgaon and two from Panchkula — were awaited.

To deal with any emergency, over 270 isolation wards with 1,206 beds have been set up in government and private hospitals. Rohtak’s premier PGIMS Hospital has been designated as the Tertiary Care Centre for treatment of critical patients.

According to a notification issued on March 11, the state government has issued various regulations under The Haryana Epidemic Disease, COVID-19 Regulations, 2020, to contain the spread of the deadly virus. These regulations come into force with immediate effect and will remain valid for a period of one year.

The Covid-19 Regulations!

According to the Covid-19 Regulations, 

– District Disaster Management Committee headed by deputy commissioner is authorised to prepare a plan regarding containment measures for COVID-19 in their respective districts. 

– Anyone found violating any provisions of these regulations shall have committed an offence punishable under Section 188 of IPC. 

– No suit or legal proceedings can be levied against any person for anything done under these regulations unless proved otherwise. 

– Staff of all govt departments shall be at the disposal of the district administration for containment measures.

 Measures the Karnataka and Haryana Government are Taking!

The regulations imposed by the Karnataka Government and Haryana Government are similar!

All government and private hospitals should have flu corners for screening suspected cases of Covid-19. All hospitals are required to record the travel history in addition to the history of coming in contact with a suspected or a positive case.

Any person with a travel history in the past 14 days to a virus-affected country must report to the nearest government hospital or call 104 so that the health department takes the required measures. If a person does not show symptoms but has a history in the last 14 days, he/she has to be kept in home quarantine for 28 days from the day of exposure. If the person does show symptoms, he/she has to be isolated in a hospital and tested for COVID-19. 

The regulations also read that the information of all such cases shall be given to the district health office and no private lab is authorised to take or test samples. All samples shall be collected as per the Union government’s guidelines and shall be sent to designated laboratories. 

Any person or organisation indulging in spreading misinformation regarding Covid-19 will be punishable under these regulations. If a suspected person refuses admission or isolation, authorised officers shall have powers to forcefully admit and isolate each case for 14 days from the onset of symptoms or till the reports of lab tests are received. The suspected cases not abiding by the regulations will have committed an offence punishable under Section 188 of IPC.

If a coronavirus case is reported from a defined geographic area such as village, town, ward, colony, settlement, the district administration of the district concerned shall have the right to implement containment measures, including sealing of the area, barring entry and exit of population from the containment area, closure of schools, offices and banning public gatherings, besides other measures.

Stringent Actions Against Those Spreading Misinformation About Covid-19!

Mizoram Police said that  11 persons, including a few women, were arrested on March 10 evening after police registered a suo motu case against them for allegedly spreading fake news on social media that a positive coronavirus case was detected in the state.

Mizoram Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) John Neihlaia said the fake news shared on WhatsApp claimed that a person returned from Singapore was suspected of coronavirus symptoms and was put under isolation at home after she refused to be quarantined at Zoram Medical College. 

A case under Section 505 (1)(b) (intent to cause fear or alarm to the public) was registered against the 11 accused with Vaivakawn police station.

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