Concerns over rise in Covid cases as migrants' return

MANAS R BANNERJEE | SNS | 18 MAY 2020: As hundreds of migrant workers and people stranded at other places and states make a return, the number of Covid 19 cases will go up rapidly in Bengal if the lockdown is not followed properly, a senior virologist said today.

It may be mentioned here that several such returnees have tested positive for the novel coronavirus at several places across north Bengal in the past few days, while concerns have been raised over the speed with which tests are being conducted.

"Reports of hundreds of samples collected from migrants are awaited, including 52 samples collected from migrants who returned in a train on Thursday night and are at a quarantine centre in Jalpaiguri town." sources said.

According to them, several people in quarantine centres are waiting for their test reports and hoping for negative results so that they can return home.

According to the senior virologist. Dr Amitabha Nandi, migrant workers have been spreading the virus among the local people. On the other hand. the officer on special duty for Covid-19 in north Bengal, Dr Sushanta Roy, said: "The West Bengal government has taken the right decision to bring back migrant workers 'step by step' and preparing for institutional quarantine and swab tests in a planned manner after screening them. As one group goes out of a quarantine centre, a fresh group will enter there.."

"We couldn't maintain the lockdown properly. Migrants are spreading the virus continuously. Many of them, who are asymptomatic, are roaming around. Odisha is an example, since 80 per cent people there were infected by migrants. As a huge number of migrant workers are coming in, the number of Covid 19 patients will increase if we don't follow the lockdown," Dr Nandy told a TV channel.

Meanwhile, expressing concern over the present situation, which he termed a "sad reality in Bengal," Darjeeling MP Raju Bista has suggested the state maintain the 10-point programme to fight Covid- 19.

"The ‘West Bengal Government, despite the 50-days heads up, is barely prepared to handle Covid-l9 cases in the state, let alone the migrant workers and others who are finally being allowed to come in from other states.The part time, absentee health minister has caused massive distress to the front line health workers, patients and their family members. There is no system in place to test in quarantine and isolate patients entering the state at the borders." Mr Bista claimed, adding. "The state should run 100 trains a day. Here is an urgent need to set up paid quarantine facilities, and permit people for home quarantine with a notice informing locals, develop a bottom-up network of trained volunteers with the help of local bodies and allow people stuck in Bengal to return to their homes."

"Stop lying to the people: stop being at loggerheads with the central government, create an enabling environment for fostering collaboration. research and unity," he added.

Addressing the Press, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, today said more than 2.5 lakh migrant workers have already come back by buses or trains and other modes of communication to the state from vulnerable states.

"A total of 120 more trains will be pressed into service to bring them back within 15 to 20 days in a planned manner. We will bear all the expenses for the migrants. People will never forgive me if migrant workers spread coronavirus in their respective villages. So it is high time to fight the situation by screening migrants properly." she said.