Mandatory five-day institutional quarantine in Delhi: Here is everything you need to know

Registering over 3,000 COVID-19 cases in last 24 hours, for the first time, a big worry for the administration of New Delhi lies ahead.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia inspects the Covid isolation facility at the Radha Soami Satsang Beas at Bhati Mines in New Delhi. (Photo | Shekhar Yadav, EPS)

The number of COVID-19 cases in New Delhi are on a rise. The coronavirus tally in the capital touched 50,000 mark on Friday.

Registering over 3,000 cases in last 24 hours, for the first time, a big worry for the administration of New Delhi lies ahead.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Lt. Governor Anil Baijal passed an order on Friday putting an end to Delhi government's home quarantine strategy. Baijal made five day institutional quarantine mandatory for anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 in the capital.

What did Lt. Governor Anil Baijal's order say?

Five days institutional quarantine in a government faciltiy of each case under home-quarantine is to be made mandatory
After the five-day institutional-quarantine, asymptomatic COVID-19 patients will be sent for home-isolation
Patients with consistent symptoms will require further hospitalization

The decsion was taken after suggestions were made by the Home Ministry, led by Union Minister Amit Shah, who has been conducting meetings with leaders of Delhi-NCR for the past few days to monitor the rising COVID-19 cases in the capital.

The MHA panel felt, given the current situation in Delhi home-quarantine might not be favourable. They also said that lack of professional check-ups my medical staff for home quarantined patients is not advisable right now.

What does the order mean?

Anybody who is tested positive will be sent for five-day mandatory quarantine at a government centre
Patients asymptomatic or symptomctic will be institutionally quarantined
Strict monitoring will be done by the District Magistrate and his appointed officials
After five days, another set of tests will be done in which people without symptoms can return home

Delhi has a total of 53,116 coronavirus cases out of which 27,512 are active. With the addition of 66, the deaths count has reached 2,035.

Why is Kejriwal-led AAP criticising Anil Baijal's order?

According to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, the L-G passed the new order without consulting him
AAP claims medical infrastructure in the capital is not suited for mandatory institutional quarantine
AAP says availability of beds are limited in Delhi and should be kept for very serious case alone
Delhi government claims there is shortage of medical professionals and this move will overburden existing infrastructure
AAP leaders also claim this move will discourage people from getting tested

As a Covid-positive patient - who is recovering in Home Isolation - am appalled at the order issued by @LtGovDelhi at the behest of MHA that has ended Home Isolation in Delhi and made 5 days of institutional quarantine compulsory (1/n) pic.twitter.com/H07kewqAS2
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) June 19, 2020