Do not Spread Fake News and Misinformation on COVID Treatment – DC Jagadeesh
Udupi: Udupi district deputy commissioner, G Jagadeesh on June 10 warned those spreading fake news and misinformation on the treatment of COVID-19 in District that they would be booked under the epidemic act.
Speaking at a press meet held at the DC office, DC G Jagadeesh said, “Some miscreants were unnecessarily spreading fake information that the Udupi designated TMA Pai COVID hospital was charging Rs 3.5 lakh for the treatment is far from the truth. The TMA Pai hospital has been providing complete treatment free of cost for the people of the district for three months. Until now the district administration has treated 947 patients free od cost. The returnees from Maharashtra will not be subjected to institutional quarantine henceforth and will be directly sent to 14 days of home quarantine. Residences of Maharashtra returnees on quarantine will be sealed, and strict action will be initiated against those violating the norms.”
People returning from other states will have to undergo seven days of home quarantine, and their houses will not be sealed during the quarantine period. If people who have returned from Maharashtra or any other state develop symptoms during the quarantine period, their throat swab samples will be collected for testing. If confirmed positive for the coronavirus, they will be shifted to the designated hospital, and the concerned areas will be declared as containment zones.
DC also said, “The state government has released a detailed SOP in this regard. To ensure strict compliance with home quarantine, the district administration has formed task forces right from the village level to the ward level in cities. An FIR will be registered against those breaking the home quarantine norms. Flying squads will be formed to monitor the movement of people under home quarantine across the district. The flying squads will be taking care of each area and will pay a surprise visit to those under home quarantine.”
DC Jagadeesh further said, “Separate teams are formed in the urban and rural areas. The mobile app ‘Seva Sindhu’ will also help the PDOs (Panchayat Development Officers) and village accountants to monitor those under home quarantine in their respective gram panchayats. Officials should visit the houses and take pictures of those under home quarantine and upload them”.
DC Jagadeesh further said that it is compulsory for passengers travelling to the state to register themselves on the ‘Seva Sindhu’ portal through which they can be tracked. Thousands of passengers are coming to Udupi district from by trains every day, but most of them are not registered under the government’s Seva Sindhu portal.
If those coming from other states do not register under in the Seva Sindhu portal, the state will not be able to track them. Therefore, it is necessary to create awareness among the passengers regarding the registration under the Seva Sindhu portal, he said.
SP Vishnuvardhan, Additional DC Sadasiv Prabhu were also present.
