The Karnataka government has repeatedly stressed the need for people coming from abroad to be home isolated and, in many cases, keeping them under quarantine at designated facilities close to the airport. However, for a senior resident of Bengaluru, the stay at a private centre — the East Point College of Medical Sciences’ hospital — four days ago, was unbearable, with the unhygienic conditions and flooding in the hospital.
A 60-year-old resident of Bengaluru’s RT Nagar and her 70-year-old husband came to India from the UK on Wednesday, according to the woman, who wished to remain anonymous. While many passengers are told to undergo mandatory home quarantine for 14 days, those with symptoms, other ailments and older individuals are made to stay in quarantine centres.
The couple was transported from the airport to the Akash Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, where their medical history was taken, and then to East Point College of Medical Sciences, a facility that’s run privately and has been designated for the government-mandated quarantine. They were allegedly made to wait for several hours between the trips.
“No one was helping us with anything. I understand that people are scared but we found it very difficult to carry so much luggage and manage,” the woman said. “Another person came and started chasing us inside. He kept saying, ‘go, go, go inside now’, like we were animals to be herded,” she added.
The couple was put in a room that was still under construction. The woman said that the roof of the room was cracked and 12 patients were to share one bathroom and toilet. “Water stagnates when someone has a bath. We have to bathe in the filth. Cleaning staff are also scared of contracting the infection but we all fear that we may contract other illnesses if not COVID-19 due to these unhygienic conditions,” she said.
On Friday night, after several parts of the city witnessed rainfall, water began leaking from cracked roofs and flooded the corridors and several wards in the quarantine facility.
“The water began falling on my husband. We asked them if we could be moved but we were not moved until this morning (Saturday). Besides, they gave us food in plastic covers on the first and second day. It was very unhygienic. They didn’t give us plates until all of us demanded the same,” she added.
Conditions involving others
The woman also recounted an incident in which a 90-year-old man, who has diabetes, was unable to get his insulin shots regularly due to the lack of medical staff.
“Obviously everyone is scared of contact. But the doctors should have administered the shots properly,” she said.
On Friday morning, after she complained to the doctor and questioned him, she has been helping him inject the shots. “What can we do? He is so old. We can’t let him suffer,” she added.
Speaking to TNM, the grandson of the 90-year-old man confirmed that he was not informed of his grandfather’s stay at the facility.
In addition, the woman there told TNM that relatives of people under quarantine had been allowed visitation with family members. The son of a 62-year-old woman kept under quarantine was allegedly allowed to stay in the ward overnight and left in the morning. The woman had a travel history to Dubai.
“We have not been tested positive or negative but until we know for sure, how can they not make social distancing mandatory? What if they infect others around them?” she questioned.
What the hospital says
Speaking to TNM, officials at the quarantine facility said that only four out of 50 cleaning staff have been coming in to work as they too are scared of contracting the virus.
“We can understand their concerns. We are also trying to manage with whatever resources we have. We are working hard too,” he said. “With only four cleaning staff, we can’t overwork them either. Cleaning should happen five times a day and they are able to do it only once,” an official said on condition of anonymity.
He also noted that they are working on repairing the leaks in the building. “The roofs are being repaired today and we will make sure it does not leak.” When asked whether relatives of those in quarantine were allowed visitation, the official refused to comment.