Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, May 16: The district administration took all necessary measures to protect the health of the concerned when receiving Dubai passengers at the airport here. Also, as the general public and family members of the passengers were not allowed to visit the airport, it has succeeded in stopping the spreading of the disease through secondary infection.

In a few airports of the country, the family members were allowed to meet the passengers on arrival. But here, the family members were denied admission both at the airport and the quarantine facility. Even the media was kept at bay, and a photographer of the Information Department recorded proceedings on video from a distance duly wearing PPE kit. The district administration and health officials were also present in minimum strength to avoid secondary infection from spreading.

Mangaluru airport on May 12

Dakshina Kannada district health officer Dr Ramachandra Bairy, said that the officials of the district administration and health department had maintained social distance at the airport and had taken care to protect themselves. As such, he said, they are exempted from undergoing quarantine.

In the meantime, deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district Sindhu B Rupesh, confirmed that she does not have information about the areas from where the passengers arrived from Dubai and also whether they had undergone COVID-19 test there.

She said that additional care will be taken of the people seated in the next seat of the infected persons and after a gap of 12 days, everyone will be put through coronavirus test. She also said that a nodal officer and staff of ten quarantine centres where Kannadigas from Dubai have been kept, are trained and they will take steps to make sure that quarantine rules are followed strictly. She also said that CCTVs are also being used to monitor the movements of the people in quarantine.