GHMC, together with the Medical and Health, Revenue and Police departments, has identified COVID-19 containment clusters in the city, where the disease surveillance protocols will be intensified.
The areas include those resided by patients returning from Nizamuddin Markaz at Delhi, where several were infected with the novel coronavirus. Tests for COVID-19 were carried on a total of 593 Delhi returnees, of whom 63 tested positive for the disease. In addition, 45 more of their family members have been infected, GHMC Commissioner D.S. Lokesh Kumar revealed during a media interaction on Wednesday.
Altogether, 12 containment clusters have been identified across the city, from where a total of 89 cases of novel coronavirus infection have been recorded. The clusters include Ramgopalpet, Shaikpet, Red Hills, Malakpet-Santhosh Nagar, Chandrayangutta, Alwal, Moosapet, Kukatpally, Qutbullahpur-Gajularamaram, Mayuri Nagar, Yusufguda and Chandanagar.
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Special attention will be paid to sanitation and spraying of disinfectant solution in these areas, and teams comprising members from GHMC and Medical and Health departments will visit every house in these areas regularly, and identify persons with COVID-19 symptoms. All these clusters will be heavily barricaded by the police, and surveillance will be intensified to keep a watch on the entry and exit points. Already, deliberations have been held with the Commissioner of Police Anjani Kumar with regard to barricading for a specified duration, Mr. Lokesh Kumar informed.
Elaborating on the efforts being taken to ameliorate the conditions for public convenience in view of lockdown, Mr. Lokesh Kumar said a total of 330 mobile Rythu Bazars have been organised to supply vegetables across the city. Migrant workers have been supplied with 12 kilograms of rice and ₹500 allowance per person, and 3,400 homeless persons have been shifted to 12 temporary shelters, in addition to 14 permanent shelters.
Free meals are being provided for 55,000 needy persons during noon, and 35,000 more during night. Through the special cell set up by GHMC, 17,000 food packets are being collected from donors and distributed. This apart, passes have been issued to 145 philanthropists who are feeding close to 50,000 people. Provisions such as rice, oil, soaps and others donated by 93 NGOs have been distributed at the shelter homes.
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Mr. Lokesh Kumar also said reusable cloth masks stitched by self-help groups are being distributed to the sanitation workers, and health kits too will be provided to them soon.
A total of 34 buses have been organised in coordination with TSRTC, to carry the sanitation workers from various locations in the city.