COVID-19 positive Odisha woman hosts birthday party; 17 others catch coronavirus

JHARSUGUDA: In a blatant violation of quarantine guidelines, a woman under isolation hosted a birthday party and attended marriage anniversary celebration of her neighbour thereby infecting 17 persons in OPM area at Brajrajnagar.

Police on Sunday filed cases against two persons under Section 15 of the Disaster Management Act and Sections 296, 271 and 188 of IPC.

The 29-year-old woman, who is now considered a super-spreader, had returned to Jharsuguda from Gurgaon on June 9 along with her husband and son. The family was staying at the woman’s uncle’s house in OMP area and it was put under home quarantine. Their samples were collected for tests.

Although the family was supposed to stay in isolation for 14 days adhering to all the COVID-19 quarantine norms, the woman organised a birthday party of her son on June 12 attending by many of the neighbours.

A day later, the woman also attended a wedding anniversary celebration in her neighbourhood and in the process, she ended up infecting 17 others in the area with coronavirus, informed Collector Saroj Kumar Samal.

On June 14, her samples tested positive for the disease and the area was declared containment zone.
Collector said the irresponsibility by the woman has led to infection in 17 other persons.

“Another person in the neighbourhood organised an anniversary celebration despite the area being a containment zone. Despite creating awareness among people about importance of complete isolation during home quarantine besides containment zone guidelines, they are not taking the situation seriously”, said Samal, adding there is no fear of community transmission as all the cases are within containment zone limits.

Police filed cases against head of the woman’s family and the neighbour for violating the norms.Apart from these 17 cases, two more persons of Mandalia within Brajrajnagar limits had also tested positive on June 14.