NEW DELHI: As more and more cases of Coronavirus come to light, people are panicking upon finding out about neighbours with recent travel history abroad and symptoms similar to those that of COVID-19. In many cases, people have hidden their travel history and roamed around until medical intervention was required. A couple who had come in contact with a COVID-19 positive case in a Noida society led to closure of the particular society including neighbouring societies.
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“The male had come in contact with his boss who was found to be a COVID-19 positive case. Both his partner and he had been advised to stay in quarantine but they defied that advice. The woman had also visited the society’s salon two days before the male was tested positive,” a resident of the society said.
Yesterday, six suspected cases including a woman had escaped from the isolation facility at LNJP Hospital.
This sort of behaviour has been termed as “highly irresponsibly” by medical experts. “People who have travelled from highly-infected countries and know about the government’s order to self-quarantine have been slipping away from airports and quarantine facilities, this is highly irresponsible behaviour. They are not only jeopardising the lives of their relatives, friends and people but the entire country as well. They must understand that this is a matter of national importance,” Dr Arvind Kumar, Chairman of Centre for Chest Surgery, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital said.
Similar cases have been noted in societies at Greater Noida where people with travel history from countries like Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia have hidden their travel history carried on with their usual routine upon return. Meanwhile, some have shown courage and responsibility by staying in and self-quarantining themselves. Some have even been encouraging others to stay indoors to restrict the virus’ spread.