Only 5 of 650 evacuees found infected in Mohali

Sanjay Bumbroo

Tribune News Service

Mohali, July 26

Less than one per cent of the Mohali residents stranded abroad and came back home by evacuation flights tested positive for Covid.

A total of 650 stranded passengers, including residents of the town and NRIs, arrived at the Chandigarh international airport till July 16 and only five of them were found infected. Their contacts, including family members, were traced to contain the further spread of the virus.

A total of 22 evacuation flights, operated under the Vande Bharat Mission of the Union Government to evacuate Indians stranded abroad, carrying 3,500 passengers had arrived at the airport in the past two months. The first flight carrying 100 passengers from the USA had arrived on May 22. Since then, flights carrying passengers from various places, including Auckland, Dubai, Sharjah, Kuwait and Ukraine, reached India. Civil Surgeon Manjit Singh said while conducting screening, health officials took utmost precautions and the passengers also maintained social distancing. He said all passengers were also impressed upon by health teams deployed at the airport to take all Covid-related precautions such as covering face with a mask, using hand sanitisers, washing hands as much as possible and observing social distancing guidelines.

Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan said the need of the hour was to identify those who came from other districts so that they could be placed under isolation or quarantine. He said door-to-door sampling was on the cards and if need be, they would start with vulnerable areas.