ROURKELA: In view of the steep spike in positive cases, the state government has rushed in 24 doctors to Sundargarh district for Covid-19 care and management.

Sources said the chief district medical and public health officer has retained 10 doctors for the 200-bed NTPC Covid health centre while the rest 14 have been deployed at Rourkela who will be engaged in Covid-19 duty on rotation basis.

While seven doctors are now deployed at Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH) for non-Covid care, as many have been deployed at Hi-Tech Covid-19 hospital.

After 14 days, the seven doctors on Covid duty would be sent to quarantine and the batch at RGH would be brought to the Covid-19 hospital.   

The Hi-Tech Covid-19 hospital started functioning on April 3 to cater to Sundargarh and six other districts with only four doctors roped in from RGH and one from Birkera community health centre.

The privately-run Hi-Tech MCH did not provide any doctors. Now the dedicated Covid hospital has 17 doctors with provision of 14 days quarantine after 14 days duty. 

CDMO Dr SK Mishra said with deployment of 24 doctors, patients undergoing treatment could be attended to in three rounds.  

Meanwhile on Friday, 110 fresh positive cases were detected in Sundargarh, taking the tally to 1,992 in the district. Of the total cases, Rourkela alone accounts for 1,428.