Any efforts by individuals or organisations to spread misinformation or rumours about COVID-19 will now be treated as a punishable offence under the “Karnataka Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 Regulations, 2020” issued by the State government on Wednesday.
“No person, institution or organisation should use any print or electronic media for misinformation regarding COVID-19 without prior permission of the Department of Health and Family Welfare. This is to avoid spread of any rumour or unauthenticated information regarding COVID-19. In case anyone is found indulging in such activity, it will be treated as a punishable offence under these regulations,” said Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary (Medical Education and Health and Family Welfare).
Addressing presspersons on Wednesday, he said these regulations have been issued under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 (Central Act 3 of 1897). “They have to be mandatorily observed by the public to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19 in the State. These regulations are necessary as ordinary provisions of the law that are in force currently are insufficient to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the State,” he said.
The temporary regulations will come into force immediately and remain valid for one year.
Flu corners
According to the notification, all hospitals in the State, including private facilities should mandatorily have flu corners for screening of suspected cases of COVID-19. Besides, all hospitals, during screening of such cases, should record the history of travel of the person if he/she has travelled to any country or area where COVID-19 has been reported. Apart from this, the hospitals should also record the person’s history of coming in contact with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19.
“In case a person has any history of coming in contact with a suspected or confirmed case in the last 14 days and the person is asymptomatic, then the person must be kept in home quarantine for 28 days from the day of exposure. If the person (with a history of coming in contact with suspected or confirmed case) is symptomatic, the person must be isolated in a hospital as per protocol and tested for COVID-19,” stated the notification.
Asymptomatic persons should use masks and take precautions to avoid contact with any person including family members for a period of 14 days from the date of arrival. Hospitals should provide information about screened suspected cases to the Office of the jurisdictional District Health and Family Welfare without any delay.
No testing in private labs
No private laboratory has been authorised to collect or test samples for COVID-19 in the State. All such samples have to be collected as per guidelines issued by Government of India and have to be sent to the jurisdictional government designated laboratory by the District nodal officer.
Besides, any person with a history of travel in the last 14 days to COVID-19 affected countries must report to the nearest government hospital or call the toll-free helpline 104 so that necessary measures, if required, can be initiated by the Health Department.
Forceful isolation of suspected cases
If a suspected case of COVID-19 refuses admission or isolation, the authorised officials can forcefully admit and isolate such cases for a period of 14 days from the onset of symptoms or till the laboratory reports are received.
If cases are reported from a defined geographic area such as a village, town, city, ward, colony or settlement, the district administration has been empowered to seal the area, bar entry and exit of the population from and into the area, order closure of schools, offices and ban public gatherings, ban vehicular movement, initiate passive and active surveillance and isolate suspected cases in hospitals, the notification said.
In such a situation, the staff of all government departments will be at the disposal of the district administration and can be deployed for taking up containment measures. The District Disaster Management Committee headed by Deputy Commissioner has been authorised to prepare a planning strategy.
“Anyone who violates these regulations can be punished under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860),” the notification added.
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