We all know that the Indian government had carried out an airlift operation by a Special Air India flight on February 1 to bring home all the Indians who were trapped in the city of Wuhan. According to medical sciences, everyone needs to spend at least two weeks in the quarantine facility set up at Manesar. The idea behind the action seems evident as the novel Coronavirus takes a maximum of 14 days to exhibit the symptoms. Thus, the officials are keeping them under observation for the maximum period of incubation.
But what we don’t know is that the quarantine facility is suffering from a scarcity of water; thus developing the toilets coupled with the drinking stream of water unhygienic and completely active towards various infections. The quarantine camp, which is currently hosting 324 Indians, are at a complete mess since an environment of quarantine cannot afford to enhance the level of contamination at any cost. Imagine that someone has been infected with the novel virus, and the disease then gets spread across the entire camp utilizing the filthy and unchecked quality of the water.
The camp currently has five mobile toilets for 324 people, which is a point of concern. Furthermore, there are ten barracks, and each has around 22 beds. On an additional note, apart from the issue of the toilet and the drainage systems, the camp is also running short of providing sufficient electricity to its dwellers with three electricity ports in each barrack.
Let me elucidate the problem of the water crisis a bit more. The hot water is only available for an hour for the residents’ to bathe. On top of that, there is only a single bucket allocated for eight persons on average, making the bathing scenario difficult. Once again, the issue of contamination arises here because if a person does not get a proper hygienic treatment daily (which includes an appropriate bath), he/she would eventually turn to be the epicenter for spreading germs locally.
An army officer said the facility had been set up in a very little time, “We are cleaning toilets as per the norms prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The mobile toilet effluent is being treated as per international guidelines so that no infection goes out. Around 2% hypochlorite solution is being used with a contract period of 15-30 minutes in a 1:1 ratio. Fomites, including stethoscopes, are being disinfected.”
Amid these challenges, the Indian Army, along with the public health officials, have carried out an excellent job to quarantine the female patients along with the children, as they are being provided with the best response kit and associated facilities. It is indeed a difficult task to arrange for a quarantine facility for 324 people in such a short period.
The army officials are still in the process of making the camp cleaner and hygienic. I do believe that in a country like India, which has a burgeoning population density, setting up a quarantine facility along with maintaining the same is an arduous task to accept. Still, I feel that my country has taken the correct measures by providing excellent and most-sophisticated available facility to the women and the children and is continuing to bring up the facilities, which still need modifications (especially in the male residential area).