Quarantined folks to be sent home sans test ?

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, May 30: In total contradiction to its earlier decision of testing all returnees from outside the State who have been confined in quarantine centres, the State Government is considering to send home quarantined people who have completed 14 days in quarantine centres even if they have not been tested for COVID-19.
With Chief Minister N Biren in the chair, the COVID-19 consultative committee held a meeting this evening and deliberated on sending home people who returned from outside the State recently and are currently confined in quarantine centres as soon as possible.
The meeting decided to send home quarantined people who have been tested negative even if they are to yet to complete the quarantine period.
In view of the large number of people coming back to the State continuously, it further discussed about sending home quarantined people who have completed 14 days in quarantine centres on ‘certification’ by doctors even if they have not been tested for COVID-19, sources informed.
The meeting also deliberated on the current lockdown and sectors which may be exempted from the lockdown.
It is said that the State Government would issue an order regarding the lockdown tomorrow.
According to information received from the Health Department, quarantine centres where COVID-19 positive cases have been detected are containment zones.
Samples collected from such centres would be tested on priority and necessary procedure for de-notification of containment zones would be initiated soon, said the source.
Significantly all the present positive cases have come from people who have been tested while they are still at the quarantine centres  after returning from outside Manipur. With the Government allowing domestic flights and special trains to ship in stranded folks, more and more people from outside Manipur are expected.
All the positive cases in Manipur have come from people who came to the State from other places.
Manipur has only two testing centres at the moment, one at RIMS and the other at JNIMS.