Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government has decided to stamp the hands of people who are undergoing self-quarantine.The state government said that the left hand of all people who are under home quarantine will be stamped. This move comes as the number of cases in the state has reached 38 and the government is looking at implementing more measures to curb the spread.
The government has described the decision as a precautionary measure. Greater Mumbai's Municipal Commissioner Pravin Pardeshi has issued an order to all officials at hospitals and airports asking them to stamp the left palm of the individual. The stamp would also have the dates of isolation.
The ink would last for 14 days. The Chief Minister also appealed to home quarantined people to refrain from stepping out in public to prevent spreading coronavirus.
The state government has also made evading compulsory quarantine a punishable offence. If any person attempts to evade quarantine or breaks home quarantine protocol then he or she would be forcibly moved to a government isolation facility.
Maharashtra government has also suspended all breath-analyser tests required to check drunk driving in an attempt to protect police personnel from contracting coronavirus.
So far, 139 cases of coronavirus have been reported in India. While two people have succumbed to the virus, 13 people have recovered. India is already putting people who have arrived from coronavirus-affected regions under home quarantine. As a precautionary measure their samples are also being sent for tests. UK, EU countries and Turkey are the latest countries India has put travel restrictions on.
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