Nagaland: Inside Sao Chang Quarantine Centre

Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 27

After one of the returnees was declared COVID-19 positive on May 27, the entire campus of Sao Chang Government College Quarantine Centre (QC) has been turned into a containment zone.

According to the Health Ministry, a containment zone is a specific area where positive cases of corona virus are found. Strict movement restrictions are put in place in such areas. While the Tuensang district administration has assured that every safety protocol will be maintained, those at the QC tell a different story.

Speaking to The Morung Express on condition of anonymity, some returnees revealed that they were being kept in large groups in a single room.

“There are 19 of us in our room,” said one person, voicing concerns about their safety, especially after one of the returnees among them was declared COVID-19 positive.

“We thought social distancing applied to those in quarantine centres as well. But here, 19-20 of us are packed into a room. We just want to know if this is the standard protocol,” said one person.

A view of one of the rooms in the Sao Chang College  Quarantine Centre in Tuensang.

 

Some of the returnees shared that while the arrangements in the QC were comfortable so far, they were worried and anxious about what would be in store in the coming days.

Another returnee said that they were not informed about one of them being tested positive. “We have the right to know and protect ourselves too. We came by buses on the same route and might have been at risk,” he said.

On being queried about these concerns, a Tuensang District administration official said that the rooms at Sao Chang College are not of uniform size. Big rooms have been allotted for big groups of returnees while some rooms have 7-8 people only, depending on the size of the bed.

“10 rooms in the main block have a capacity of 119 beds. Some are quite big where we are accommodating even 19, some smaller rooms have 7 or 8 occupants, and medium sized rooms have 10 to 13 occupants,” the official said.

“We have ensured proper distance between the beds in the rooms, so that the occupants can maintain social distancing even inside the rooms, an official said.

Meanwhile, there were also reports about the returnees travelling without proper food arrangements. According to a report from the emergency meeting of the Tuensang District Task Force (DTF) for COVID-19 on May 27, the forum discussed to request the authorities in Kohima to let the buses carrying returnees of Tuensang be made to leave Kohima in the morning hours with proper food packages, since it is a far flung place.

On being asked whether this implied that Tuensang was expecting more returnees from Kohima, the Tuensang DC said that according to what was conveyed to them, “They will be sending more people.”

Meanwhile, among the 168 who returned to Tuensang on May 27 by bus from Kohima, 17 of them de-boarded at Chare.

The 17 returnees have been contained at JNV Chare quarantine centre, which was already housing returnees from the earlier two batches. The returnees on May 26 were the third batch of returnees, the official informed.

The DTF also discussed zone-wise segregation of the returnees at JNV Chare to Longkhim, a DIPR report said.

 

One held in Tuensang  for fake news circulation

Meanwhile one person was identified and arrested by the Tuensang Police on May 27 for circulation of false information that three returnees had fled from the Sao Chang QC.  Officials said that necessary legal action is being initiated against the person. The Tuensang Police has warned that strict action as per law will be taken against rumor mongers.