COVID-19 has been declared an epidemic in Jammu and Kashmir, and surveillance personnel have been authorised to enter any premises to look for suspects infected with the coronavirus.
The presence of a suspect will be treated as hazardous for public safety. Any person found infected can be put in “institutional quarantine facility” or an “isolation facility.”
“Such persons are bound to cooperate and render all possible assistance to facilitate such surveillance, inspection, enquiry and examination,” reads the notification of Health and Medical Education Department.
The surveillance personnel have been authorised to put suspects in home quarantine or escort them to hospitals for isolation.
Notifying persons with travel history to coronavirus-affected countries has been made mandatory to all medical officials and practitioners including AYUSH to surveillance authorities.
Sub Divisional Magistrates or Executive magistrates have been authorised to take appropriate action in case a suspect refuses home quarantine or institutional quarantine.
“In case of minors, such order shall be directed to the guardian or any other adult member of the minor,” reads the notification.
Whosoever disobeys an order or obstructs the functions, duties, and responsibility enshrined upon any authority under these regulations, will be deemed to have committed an offence under section 188 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860).
The government has also barred the entry of public in the civil secretariat in view of two confirmed cases (possibly three cases) in Jammu till March 31.
Passengers of all flights from Ladakh will be quarantined and quarantine facilities will also be set up at Baltal at Sonamarg to quarantine people entering Kashmir from Ladakh.
All foreigners visiting the Union Territory shall be quarantined as per the set protocol.
Divisional Commissioner Jammu has also been directed to call a meeting of prominent religious leaders, advising them to convince people to avoid gatherings during upcoming religious festivals to keep transmission in check.
All inter-state buses entering Jammu and Kashmir shall be checked and sanitised at an entry point in Kathua.
