quarantine centres
Representational image

Mizoram is currently facing shortage of quarantine facilities with the increase in the number of returnees from outside the state, a senior official said.

Task group on quarantine facilities chairperson Esther Lal Ruatkimi said the government and churches have so far set up more than 500 quarantine facilities to accommodate 14,358 people.

She said that the government required quarantine facilities with a total capacity of at least 20,000 people and efforts are one to identify more facilities to accommodate people who are returning to the State.

Also read: Mizoram allows home isolation of returnees due to inadequate number of quarantine centres

Esther Lal Ruatkimi, who is also the commissioner and secretary of Education and Tourism departments said at least 168 churches from various denominations like Presbyterian Church, Baptist Church of Mizoram (BCM), Salvation Army (SA), Lairam Isua Krista Baptist Kohhran (LIKBK), Evangelical Church of Maraland (ECM), United Pentecostal Church (NEI) and United Pentecostal Church (Mizoram) have offered their halls to be used as quarantine facilities.

She said that more than 10,000 stranded in different parts of the country were yet to return to the State.

She thanked churches, village or local level task forces, NGOs and other stakeholders for extending invaluable helps to the government.

Meanwhile, an official of task group on quarantine facilities said at least 2,518 people are currently placed under quarantine across the state.

Of these, 1,940 people are quarantined at government designated facilities, 414 at church halls, 163 placed under home quarantine and 7 others are lodged at hotel on their own expense, he said.

He said that there at present 543 quarantine facilities, including 168 halls offered by churches, across the State.

At least 108 local churches belonging to Presbyterian Church have offered halls to be used as quarantine facilities.

Besides, 32 local churches from BCM, 16 from SA, 7 from LIBK, 2 each from ECM, United Pentecostal Church (NEI) and  United Pentecostal Church (Mizoram) also offered halls to be used as quarantine facilities, he said.

Earlier, state chief secretary Lalnunmawia Chuaungo had said the government allowed returnees clearing Rapid Antibody Test or permitted and recommended by competent authorities to be placed under home quarantine as the government facilities might not be enough to accommodate them all.