Odisha to screen people from these 12 states

BHUBANESWAR: Concerned over a fresh surge of coronavirus in increasing number of states, the Odisha government on Thursday directed its districts to step up surveillance and start aggressive screening of people coming in from at least 12 states to prevent a new spread here.

The states include Maharashtra, Kerala, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Punjab, Delhi, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.Collectors, Municipal Commissioners, Directors of Biju Patnaik International Airport and Jharsuguda Airport and General Manager (Operations) of East Coast Railway were directed to go for screening of returnees and testing those with symptoms at airports and railway stations. 

Persons disembarking at airports and railway stations in Odisha and coming from or through the 12 states will be screened by thermal scanners and those found having symptoms will be tested by rapid antigen kits on site.Additional Chief Secretary of Health department PK Mohapatra said the districts have been instructed to ensure enhanced surveillance in the State to prevent a resurgence.

“Though the Covid situation is under control in Odisha, these 12 states have been constantly reporting high cases. Some of the states have also detected new mutants of the virus. We have to properly screen people coming from these States and anyone found positive in tests will be put in isolation and treated,” he said.

However, the health experts advised the Government to conduct RT-PCR tests of all suspects as the RAT has a moderate sensitivity of around 50 per cent. RT-PCR test is a must to avoid any lapse in screening, they stressed.Meanwhile, the number of new cases has gone up to 89 in last 24 hours in the State which was reporting below 70 cases a day for the last one week. The active cases now stands at 556.