West Bengal returnees turn North Odisha into new hotspot

BHUBANESWAR:  With five more persons testing positive for Covid-19 in Balasore, taking the district total to eight and the State tally to 79 on Tuesday, the North Odisha region has turned out to be a new hotspot. The returnees from West Bengal have become a headache for the administration as at least 10 among the fresh cases detected in Bhadrak and Jajpur are linked to Bengal.

Official sources said, more than 2700 persons have returned to different parts of Odisha from WB in the last two months and at least a half of them sneaked in between March 28 and 29. RDC (Central) Anil Samal said, the people, who have returned from the neighbouring State, have been asked to register their names so that they can be tested on a priority basis. “All panchayats have been directed to identify the returnees and put them in institutional quarantine. Arrangements are being made to get them tested in the next few days,” Samal, who visited Balasore and Bhadrak, added.

WB returnees  turn North Odisha into new hotspot 
Surveillance has been intensified along the connecting roads in Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts that share the border with Bengal to restrict the movement of people from either side. The fresh positive cases included two women, aged 34 each, three men, aged 38, 26 and 12. They are close relatives of a person, who had tested positive earlier. Of the 23 cases in Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur districts, 17 have been recorded in the last 48 hours prompting the State Government to enforce strict containment measures in the region.

Director of Health Services, Director of Public Health and Director of Family Welfare rushed to Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur respectively to take stock of the situation and monitor the activities. “We have also sent three rapid response teams to the three districts. While experts from SCB Medical College and Hospital will provide technical support in Jajpur district, Fakir Mohan Medical College and Hospital will be in charge of Balasore and Bhadrak,” said a senior health official.

Meanwhile, three doctors and 19 paramedics have been kept in Government quarantine after it came to the fore that they had come in contact with some persons, who tested positive for Covid-19. Their family members have been quarantined at home. However, the major hotspot Bhubaneswar has not reported any new case after April 14.