Man under COVID-19 quarantine in Hyderabad locked inside apartment by neighbours

The man had a travel history to South Africa and is reportedly asymptomatic.
Man under COVID-19 quarantine in Hyderabad locked inside apartment by neighbours
Man under COVID-19 quarantine in Hyderabad locked inside apartment by neighbours
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A Hyderabad man under home quarantine after a foreign trip to South Africa made a distress call to the Banjara Hills police on Friday after neighbours locked him inside his apartment. A few residents of the building suspected that the man, who is under a mandatory 14-day home quarantine, was making plans to step out of his residence, police say. 

Speaking to TNM, Banjara Hills police inspector Kalinga Rao said, “The man had an argument with one of the building residents who suspected him of planning to step out of the apartment and decided to lock the apartment from the outside. We told them not to do such things and to contact the police if they have any problems.”

According to reports, the resident had tweeted about the incident, though the tweet has since been deleted. “Residents in my building have locked my apartment from outside assuming that I am carrying the coronavirus though I have no symptoms,” he tweeted, according to reports. The man, who is reportedly asymptomatic, is following a government-ordered 14-day quarantine period for foreign returns.

While there have been alarming reports from across the country on people in home quarantine not following instructions, ostracising those who have returned from foreign countries and/or have tested positive for the coronavirus will only backfire. Not only is it inhuman, it may also may make people hide their travel histories.

Telangana police, along with doctors, health, panchayat and ward members, revenue, municipal officials have been going door-to-door to ensure that people who have returned from foreign trips are maintaining their quarantine status. In Hyderabad, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has deputed 150 teams to trace and quarantine all foreign returns for February and March. 

Recently, a person with travel history to Dubai and Mumbai was reportedly denied permission to board a bus at LB Nagar. Times of India reported that the co-passengers took objection and contacted police, who took the person to Gandhi hospital for medical examination.

The number of COVID-19 positive cases in Telangana rose to 19 on Friday as three persons, two Indonesians and an Indian woman, tested positive for the disease. The two Indonesians, aged 27 and 60, were part of the 10-member group of preachers staying in Karimnagar town for two days. 

All 10 members of the group are presently undergoing treatment at Fever hospital in Hyderabad and their conditions are reportedly stable.

The woman who tested positive was an 18-year-old with a travel history to London. Her condition is reportedly stable.

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