DMF at the forefront of Sundargarh’s virus fight

ROURKELA: Funds allocated under District Mineral Foundation (DMF) for the fight against coronavirus have contributed significantly in increasing the number of tests being conducted across Sundargarh.

From 30 tests daily a couple of months back to more than 1,000 now, availability of rapid antigen test kits has helped ramp up detection of cases in the district. Sources said till the third week of July, the district had spent around Rs 20 crore from DMF towards Covid-19 care and management.

Collector Nikhil Pawan Kalyan said rapid antigen testing has been extended to several blocks of the district. He said 1,124 tests were conducted on July 31 and the administration aims to achieve mass testing in each block of the district soon.

The DMF funds have also been utilised to procure buses to ferry symptomatic cases to Covid care facilities from Bargaon, Bonaigarh, Koida, Gurundia, Rajgangpur and Subdega blocks.

Meanwhile, the district on Monday reported 46 new cases taking the tally to 1,557 of which 916 have recovered. With the Steel City alone accounting for 1,100 cases, Rourkela Municipal Corporation commissioner Dibyajyoti Parida said five new CCCs would be readied with additional 1,000 beds soon. The district has also reported 13 deaths including three for reasons other than Covid-19.