HYDERABAD: The Telangana Police Department is witnessing a sudden surge in SOS calls to its control rooms claiming persons under quarantine or those with COVID-19 symptoms were stepping out of their homes. Officials say that while on one hand, the public is helping them contain the spread of the virus, on the other, they are creating panic among other residents.
Thought prevalent across the State, the SOS calls are relatively higher under Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda commissionerate limits.
On Sunday night, residents of Neredmet dialled 100 to inform the police that a COVID-positive person was spotted in their locality. They shared the address of the suspected patient as well.
When police teams, along with health and revenue officials, rushed to the said address, they found that the person had recently returned from a foreign country and was under mandated home quarantine. He had just stepped out to purchase a few essentials when the locals saw him.
Officials said that calls like these have increased multifold during the past one week and most of the cases were that of persons under home quarantine. Even if they were seen outside their balcony, their neighbours pressed the panic button. Posts and videos regarding the same were circulated on social media as well.
The police, while warning the public of strict action for circulating such videos, clarified that all those under home quarantines were not COVID-positive persons. They also urged the home quarantined persons not to step out until they complete their isolation period.