The quarantine facility set up for passengers arriving in the city from countries affected by the novel coronavirus was not fully equipped till Monday.

Around noon on Monday, there were 25 persons kept in the quarantine unit, set up on the New Town campus of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute. By evening, all but one had left.

Those who were discharged were advised to stay in home quarantine for at least 14 days.

Metro saw mattresses being taken to the unit on Monday. “Much better facilities will be available from Tuesday,” said an official.

A health department official said those who were let off on Monday were low-risk passengers — they are aged less than 60, not suffering from any symptoms of possible coronavirus infection and not having any underlying health condition such as asthma or diabetes.

The quarantine unit received its first passenger — a man aged more than 70 — on Friday. Twelve more people arrived at the unit around 5.30am on Monday. They had visited coronavirus-affected countries and arrived in the city via Doha.

Another 12 passengers arrived between 11am and noon. They, too, had been to affected countries and reached Calcutta via Dubai.

“When we arrived at the quarantine centre around 5.30am on Monday, we were asked to stay on the ground floor. After an initial round of check, we were sent to the fourth floor. There were beds lined along the walls of a large hall,” said a youth who had travelled to Spain.

“The toilets on the upper floor were clean but there

was no hand soap or hand sanitiser. The other big concern was mosquitoes — there were too many of them in the room. We got a little scared thinking we might contract some mosquito-borne disease.”

In the morning, a team of doctors visited the first batch, checked their pulse and blood pressure and also examined their chests with a stethoscope, said a passenger.

Some passengers who arrived in the second batch on Monday alleged the toilet on the ground floor was unclean.

Around 8.30am, the first batch was served roti and vegetables. Earlier, they had been provided with warm water in a kettle, teabags and biscuits. Lunch was served around 1.45pm. “It would not be a five-star facility but we will ensure that all people who go there get the basic amenities,” a health department official said.

One of those discharged said the facility should have Wi-Fi because anyone who is asked to stay there for 14 days should be able to work from there.

High-risk passengers —those coming from the affected countries and showing symptoms of possible infection — will be kept in isolation wards at hospital.

Till Monday, no one tested positive for the coronavirus in Bengal.

A posse of cops guarded the entry to the building housing the quarantine unit and private guards were at the gates leading to the campus.