Odisha's coastal dists scurry to keep Covid-hit safe during cyclone

BHUBANESWAR: The government has asked the collectors in coastal districts, especially Balasore, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapada to ensure smooth treatment of Covid patients and uninterrupted power supply to Covid hospitals as the imminent cyclone is likely to cause maximum damage in the four regions. The government said adequate high-powered diesel generator sets would be positioned in the Covid-19 hospitals.
“Treatment and safety of Covid infected patients, including those in the ICU and on oxygen support is our priority. Adequate power backup system would be put in place and diesel stored to ensure that critical patients do not suffer in the wake of disruption of electricity due to the cyclone. Since gusty winds are likely to topple electricity poles, the energy department should carry out the repair and power restoration work in the Covid hospitals on war footing,” a senior government officer said.
The government said contingency plans have been made to ensure adequate availability of drinking water, medicines and food so that patients and healthcare workers do not face any problem. “Extra oxygen cylinders will be given to hospitals which would come under cyclone influence in advance,” special relief commissioner P K Jena said.
Police and fire services authorities said they would mobilize diesel generator sets in the Covid hospitals. “The Odisha disaster rapid action force (ODRAF) has adequate diesel generator sets. We will extend full support to the district administrations in ensuring smooth power supply to the hospitals,” Yeshwat Jethwa, additional director general of police (law and order), said.
Balasore and Bhadrak districts have two Covid hospitals each whereas Kendrapada has three and Jagatsinghpur has one Covid hospital. Currently, Balasore has 4,197 active cases, Bhadrak 3,317, Jagatsinghpur 2,640 and Kendrapada 1436. Sources said around 15% of them have been admitted to Covid hospitals while others are in home isolation.
It must be noted that weekly test positivity rate (May 15 to 21) in Bhadrak (39.4%) and Balasore (35.1%), the two districts that may bear the maximum brunt if IMD’s current predictions hold true, is among the highest in state. Five other coastal districts of Khurda (31.9%), Cuttack (25.3%), Puri (23.8%), Jajpur (23.7%) and Jagatsinghpur (20.1%) have positivity above 20%.