Persons who violate home quarantine instructions and are found moving out of their homes will face stringent action under the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, and their passports would be blocked, Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar warned on Tuesday.

“When we analyse the 18 patients, who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the State, we found that there is transmission from husband to wife, wife to husband and son to mother. This is why we have been repeatedly insisting on following the instructions issued for home quarantine. The respective Collectors, Superintendents of Police are monitoring those under home quarantine. We have put up stickers on their houses and posted homeguards outside their homes. Despite all these measures, we are finding people violating the quarantine instructions,” he told reporters.

As on date, a total of 15,298 persons are under home quarantine across the State.

He said the government would not remain spectators if such violations continued.

“At this stage, Tamil Nadu needs to do this. Those who travelled from abroad have to mandatorily isolate themselves and stay at home for 28 days. If not, we will take stringent action and block their passports. There are provisions to take action under the Public Health Act,” he cautioned.

The Minister said that 100 new ambulances would be assigned for transportation.