Pune District Collector warns of criminal action against those boycotting relatives of Coronavirus patients

Pune, March 15, 2020: After it was reported that family members and relatives of Coronavirus positive patients are facing a social boycott by housing society members, Pune District Collector Naval Kishore Ram issued an order stating that FIRs will be registered against such people. He specifically warned housing society chairman, secretary and other members as well as citizens in general.

In Pune, 15 persons have been found positive till now, while the reports of 21 others are awaited.

“Some citizens who returned after travelling to affected countries have been kept in isolation in their homes so as not to spread the coronavirus. These citizens should not be harassed or expelled by the citizens of their housing societies, the chairman of the society, secretaries and members. In the event of such a case, action will be taken against the concerned under Disaster Management Act and Indian Penal Code”, states the order issued by Ram, who is also the Chairman of Pune District Disaster Management Authority.

Patients have been found in countries such as China, India, Italy, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Japan, Thailand, Dubai, USA, France, Iran, Singapore, Malaysia, Germany, Australia, Spain, Denmark, Pakistan. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the disease a global emergency. Patients infected with Coronavirus have been detected in many parts of Maharashtra.

Symptoms of the coronavirus are mainly associated with the respiratory system. The main symptoms are colds, coughs, shortness of breath, pneumonia, occasional kidney failure.

Screening of citizens travelling through Corona-affected countries has been started at airports in the country including Mumbai, Pune. Patients found in this screening were admitted to the isolation ward at Naidu Hospital in Pune and the YCM in Pimpri Chinchwad. Individuals who have returned from abroad are living in a separate room in their home. This has been done so that other people in the house and society are not affected, Ram said.