Every 4th positive case in Rajasthan is a migrant labourer

JAIPUR: Every fourth Covid-19 positive case in Rajasthan is a migrant who crossed over from some other state posing a new set of challenges for Rajasthan authorities already struggling to contain the spread of the virus in the state.
Ironically, the concentration of migrant cases has surfaced in districts which had an almost insignificant number of coronavirus cases until their arrival.
Figures till Tuesday afternoon say that out of 7,476 cases across the state, 1,949 are migrants.
In the last 24 hours from Monday 2pm till Tuesday 2pm, Rajasthan recorded 303 cases including 202 in the migrant category indicating that the share of migrants is fast expanding in the overall figure with each passing day.
The Covid-19 trajectory in eight districts has surpassed 50% of cases.
Leading the pack are Jalore and Dungarpur which accounted for 92% and 91% cases, respectively, in the migrant category.
As per the government report, 12.57 lakh Rajasthanis residing in other states registered for return. Of the total, 7.35 lakh had returned till 5pm on May 26. The remaining will arrive in the coming days, which will also impact the number of cases.
A source in the government estimated that by the first week of June, around 50% of cases in the state will comprise migrants.
“Since May 11, Nagaur has recorded only migrants as positive cases while locals with travel history have zero cases,” said collector Dinesh Kumar Yadav,
Yadav said that Nagaur is following a three-layered screening formula to ensure not a single migrant escapes screening. “Since our district is not the entry point in the state for migrants, we have to re-screen them once they enter Nagaur in order to identify those with influenza-like symptoms. We are also taking help from the network of gram sewaks and gram panchayats in identifying those who have arrived without registration and screening,” said Yadav.
Nagaur has recorded 68% cases in the migrants category.