The Tripura High Court has asked the state government to submit an 'action taken report' based on the suggestions of a central team of doctors on tackling the COVID-19 situation.

For our comprehensive coverage and latest updates on COVID-19 click here.

A two-member central team comprising senior doctors, had visited different parts of Tripura over a period of 10 days till September 18. The division bench of the high court of the Chief Justice and the Justice on September 28 asked the state government to submit the report before the next hearing on October 5. The court had on September 11 directed the Tripura government to submit an affidavit within a week, providing detailed information on the infrastructure available in state-run G B Pant Hospital to treat coronavirus patients.

Taking suo motu cognisance of media reports on the plight of COVID-19 patients and their relatives in the hospital, the division bench observed that time has come when the court needs to make inquiries from the government on matters concerning the handling of the pandemic and healthcare facilities in the state. The Advocate General told the court that the state government would submit an affidavit on 'action taken' before the stipulated time. The high court in its order, also said it is unfortunate that a simple measure such as wearing of face masks needs to be enforced through coercive steps. "Unlike the safety measures, such as wearing a seat belt in a car or helmet on a two-wheeler, the person breaching the rule of wearing a mask in public not only exposes himself or herself, but also other members of the society by being careless," it said. The court also asked the state government to form a team of doctors and administrators who would periodically visit the lone COVID hospital in the state, inspect facilities and make recommendations.