Odisha's Nala Road turns into new containment zone

ROURKELA: With detection of the first Covid-19 positive case from the Steel City, Sundargarh administration declared the Nala Road locality as a containment zone on Sunday. The nearby Bisra, already a containment zone, has also reported two more fresh positive cases.

After confirmation of swab test reports on Saturday night, the three new patients were admitted to the special Covid-19 hospital set up on the premises of Hi-Tech Medical College and Hospital, Rourkela.
On the day, Sundargarh Collector Nikhil Pawan Kalyan informed that a 57-year-old woman and 23-year-old youth had come in contact with the third positive case of Gurugurjore in Bisra. They were kept under surveillance and on Saturday late night, their reports came out positive. He said the 60-year-old patient of Rourkela’s Nala Road was found symptomatic during active surveillance.    

The Collector said one nodal health officer has been appointed for every 50 households of Nala Road containment zone. Besides, teams of Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) would ensure doorstep supply of non-medical essential commodities/facilities.  

While contact tracing of the Nala Road patient is underway, health officials said active surveillance in the densely-populated area remains a challenge. The officials said swab samples of seven persons, who came in contact with the two new patients  in Bisra, and eight others close to the Nala Road patient, were collected on Sunday.

Earlier on April 11, two males, aged 67 years and 18 years, of Ashiyana Colony in Bisra block tested positive. Subsequently on April 20, the third positive case of a 40-year-old emerged from the adjacent Gurgurjore.    

On Sunday, the district was declared free from any active case as the first three patients were cured. However, the cheer was short-lived as in no time, three new cases emerged.Meanwhile, RMC faces a massive challenge to contain the Nala Road area due to its inaccessible pockets. A senior police official said enforcing the total shutdown till end of active surveillance by medical teams would be a tough task for the administration.