The East Godavari authorities have taken up fool-proof measures to receive the Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) coming from foreign countries at the airports in the State, and send them to their destinations in the district with proper precautionary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.One NRI who arrived from Qatar tested positive for coronavirus.
District Revenue Officer Ch. Sattibabu told The Hindu, “Since May 10, 3,442 NRIs have arrived in the district, 1,035 of them belonging to urban areas. Sixty-nine who arrived from Singapore, Vietnam and London this week have been admitted to a quarantine centre for a 14-day stay.” Later, they can opt for home quarantine.
The NRIs have been accommodated in four quarantine centres in the district – at Bommuru for those from the Rajamahendravaram area, Batnavalli for Konaseema region, JNTU for Kakinada region and Annavaram for Tuni region and the border areas of Visakhapatnam district.
Patient recovering
District Medical and Health Officer B. Satya Susheela has claimed that only one NRI has tested positive since they have been allowed to enter the district during the lockdown. “The person from Qatar has been found positive for COVID-19 during his stay in the quarantine centre at Bommuru. He is being treated at the GSL Hospital and is recovering,” said the officer said.
“One week quarantine is mandatory for those who arrive from the COVID hotspots within and outside the country. Accordingly, those who came from Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi have been sent to a government-run quarantine centre,” said Mr. Sattibabu.
The district authorities have closely monitored the movements of the NRIs by setting up special cells at the airports in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Vijayawada, providing them safe transportation apart from referring them for COVID-19 tests upon their arrival at their destination in the district.