CHANDIGARH: Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Thursday directed all civil surgeons to conduct a thorough checking on people advised home quarantine against the coronavirus to ensure strict compliance of the guidelines.
Sidhu said around 18,929 persons are in home quarantined and special teams have been constituted under the supervision of deputy commissioners to check on them, according to an official statement.
"Strict action is being taken against violators by these teams under the guidelines issued by the state government," he said.
He said all those who are arrested in any case and whether they are symptomatic or asymptomatic would be tested for the virus.
Similarly, prisoners will be tested for infection before being shifted to regular jails, he said.
All health personnel posted with the department of jail and police should be trained for collection and packing of swabs for COVID-19 testing.
After their training, they will be deputed with jails and police departments for collecting samples of inmates and police personnel on regular basis.