COVID-19 lockdown: Sundargarh ready for Odisha migrants

ROURKELA: Even as Sundargarh has recorded a slow-paced migrant inflow, the numbers are expected to swell in the coming days with arrivals from southern states. The district received around 1,700 returnees till Saturday.

Of them, only four have tested positive for COVID-19. The latest case was that of a 62-year-old male who after return from Andhra Pradesh was kept in institutional quarantine. He has been shifted to Hi-Tech COVID-19 hospital, Rourkela after testing positive.

The district has so far recorded 27 COVID-19 positive cases,  with 17 active and 10 recovery cases.
The administration has set up 367 temporary medical centres (TMCs) in rural areas and 23 in four urban areas including Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) limits.

The capacity of the TMCs, rural and urban combined, is about 21,000 beds, said BC Patel, Project Director, District Rural Development Agency (DRDA).

 “Around 60-70 persons arrive daily on an average. While most are coming from Gujarat, Maharashtra and other districts of Odisha, their numbers will rise by a huge margin once workers start returning from the southern states,” he said, adding that about 150 persons were scheduled to arrive from Andhra Pradesh by train on Monday but due to cyclone Amphan the arrival may be delayed.

Chief district medical and public health officer Dr. SK Mishra said those entering the district are made to undergo mandatory health screening and depending on their health status, are referred to home or institutional quarantine.