Our Correspondent
Kohima, March 19 (EMN): The Nagaland Epidemic Disease (Covid-19) Regulations 2020 came into force on March 18, extending to the whole of Nagaland—amid the global novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
The state’s department of Health and Family Welfare had—in exercise of the powers conferred under section 2, 3, and 4 of the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897—issued a 23 point-regulation on Covid-19. These regulations will remain valid for a period of one year from the date of publication.
In Clause 6 of the regulation, “authorised persons” under this Act are principal director, H&FW ; deputy commissioners and chief medical officer; and additional deputy commissioners and officers as authorised by the department.
The “authorised persons” (Clause 6) are authorised to admit and isolate a person if required in case he/she has a history of visit to an area where Covid-19 is endemic and the person concerned is symptomatic.
If a suspected case of Covid-19 refuses admission or isolation, the officers in section 6 have powers to forcefully admit and isolate such case for a period of 14 days from the onset of symptoms or till the reports of lab tests are received, or such period as may be necessary.
According to the regulation, any person with a history of travel in last 14 days to a country or area from where Covid-19 has been reported must report to nearest government hospital or call a toll helpline number 7005415243/7005539653/9856071745, so that necessary measures/action, if required, may be intimated by the Health abd Family Welfare department.
In case of a person having travel history to Covid-19 affected countries in last 14 days and showing symptoms of the disease, the person must be kept in home/facility quarantine for 14 days from the day of exposure. If the person is symptomatic as per protocol, he/she will be tested for Covid-19 as per protocol, added Section (i) and (ii) of Clause 12. Further, information of all such cases should be given to CMO and health officer of the district immediately.
“All person with a history of travel to a country or area from where Covid-19 has been reported in last 14 days, but who do not have any symptoms of cough, fever, difficulty in breathing, should isolate themselves at home and cover their mouth and nose with a mask. Such persons must take precautions to avoid contact with any persons including family members for 14 days from the date of arrival from such areas,” it stated.
According to the notification, no private laboratories have been authorised to take or test samples for Covid-19 in the state of Nagaland. All such samples will be collected as per guidelines of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, government of India and sent to designated labs by the State Nodal Officer appointed by the Health and Family Welfare department, Nagaland, it stated.
Spreading rumours is punishable offence
According to the regulation, no person/institution/organisation will use any print or electronic media for information regarding Covid-19 without prior permission of Health and Family Welfare department, Nagaland. This is to avoid spread of any rumour or unauthenticated information regarding Covid-19.
In case, any person/institution/organisation is found indulging in such activity, it will be treated as a punishable offence under these regulations.
Under section 21 of the regulation, any person/institution/organisation found violating any clause of these regulations shall be deemed to have committed an offence punishable under section 188 of Indian Penal Code 1860 (45 of 1860).
It also stated that no suit or legal proceedings shall lie against any person for anything done or intended to be done in good faith under the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897 (No. of 22. 1897) unless proved otherwise.
Health Facilities
All health facilities shall have a designated flu/Covid-19 corners for screening of suspected cases of Covid-19.
It shall be mandatory for all health facilities to notify such person(s) to concerned district surveillance unit along with duly filled up self declaration forms, who, within their knowledge, are having travel history of Covid-19 affected countries as per the extant guidelines and are having complaints of fever or cough or respiratory difficulty or even without any sign and symptoms of Covid- 19. In addition the history of coming in contact with suspected or confirmed cases of Covid-19 shall be recorded.
Cases from defined geographic area
Under clause 19, if Covid-19 cases are reported from a defined geographic area such as village, town, ward, colony or settlement, the deputy commissioner of the district concerned shall have the right to implement following containment measures but not limited to these, in order to prevent the spread of the disease:
- Sealing of the geographical area
- Barring entry and exit of population from the containment area
- Closure of schools, offices and banning public gatherings
- Banning vehicular movements in the area
- Initiating active and passive surveillance of Covid-19 cases.
- Hospital isolation of all suspected cases.
- Designating any government/building as containment unit for isolation of the cases.
- Staff of all government departments will be at disposal of district administration of the concerned area for discharging the duty of containment measures
- Any other measures as it think fit to control/prevent the epidemic directed by department of Health and Family Welfare Nagaland
