Even as the government continues efforts to bring back nearly 300 Indians stuck in Wuhan province of China—the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak—the Indian Army has created a facility near Manesar in the National Capital Region for them.
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An Army official said in response to an emergency requirement—to create and manage a facility to quarantine approximately 300 Indian students arriving from Wuhan—a facility has been created near Manesar in Haryana where the students can be monitored for a duration of two weeks by a qualified team of doctors and staff members to watch for any signs of infection.
Explaining the quarantine process, the Indian Army said the procedure will comprise two steps, the first one being screening at the Delhi airport followed by quarantine at Manesar and if any individual is suspected to be infected, he/she will be shifted to the isolation ward at the Army's Base Hospital at Delhi Cantonment. Screening at the airport will be done by a joint team of Armed Forces Medical Services and Airport Health Authority.
Giving out details, the Army said that during the screening, the students will be classified into three groups. The first category will be of 'suspect case', where any individuals with any signs of fever and/or cough and/or respiratory distress will be directly transferred to the Base Hospital.
The second category will be of 'close contact' in which any individual without symptoms but who has visited a seafood/animal market or a health facility in Wuhan or has come into contact with a Chinese person with symptoms in the last 14 days will be escorted in an earmarked vehicle directly to the quarantine facility.
In case of the third category, termed as 'non-contact case', any individual without any symptom(s) or contact or who does not fit into either of the first two categories will also be clubbed along with the close contact category and sent to the quarantine facility.
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Officials claim that around 700 Indian students—majority of them are medical students—are studying in different universities in Wuhan and its surrounding areas.
The Army also said that its facility consists of accommodation barracks for the students, administrative areas and medical facility area.
"To prevent mass outbreak, the facility has been divided into sectors, each with a maximum capacity of 50 students. Each barrack has been further subdivided. The population of sectors will not be allowed to intermingle with each other," an Army official said.
And daily medical examination of all students will be done at the medical facility area and all the staff, healthcare workers and housekeeping staff must wear their personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times. The equipment includes mask, eye shield, shoe cover, gown and gloves. Rest of the visitors and all students will wear a three-layered mask at all times.
"After 14 days, persons with no symptoms will be allowed to go home, with their detailed documentation sent to the district/state surveillance units for further surveillance. Those found infected will be shifted to the Base Hospital isolation ward for further medical examination and recovery. Samples for virus confirmation will be sent to NCDC, Delhi, and patients will be discharged only after clinical recovery and two successive negative samples tested for n-COV," official added.
The Army also maintained that apart from playing games, watching television and having meals together within a barrack, no one will be allowed to interact with the members of another barrack and definitely not another sector.
The facility will be administered by a nominated officer in-charge who will have under his command a community medicine specialist, two nursing officers, a lady medical officer and one nursing assistant. "No civilian or serving personnel detailed to work inside the facility will be allowed to go outside unless compelled by extreme emergency situation," the Army official further said.
