Expressing concern over the possible rise in COVID-19 cases in the coming days as buses and trains are re-starting regular services, Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi on Friday directed the district administration to complete the pending work on the laboratory being set up to carry out tests for the pandemic in Raichur expeditiously.
Addressing a meeting after reviewing the situation here, Mr. Savadi, who also holds the Transport and district in-charge portfolios, said that Raichur district, which had been classified as a green zone, reported 16 positive cases for the deadly virus after migrant workers started returning from Maharashtra to the district.
“There is every possibility of the number of positive cases going up once the authorities re-start train services. Therefore, the district administration and the Health Department officials should complete the work expeditiously and start tests at the laboratory being set up at RIMS Hospital,” he said and added that, at present, samples are being sent to Kalaburagi, Ballari and Bengaluru for tests.
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On the difficulties people are facing due to the pandemic, Mr. Savadi said that the district administration and the Health Department have a responsibility to ensure proper health care and safety for the migrant workers who have returned to different parts of the district from Maharashtra.
“Implement the guidelines strictly to avoid further spread of the virus. Considering the seriousness of the situation, the Police Department should work accordingly,” he added.
Deputy Commissioner R. Venkatesh Kumar explained to Mr. Savadi that a total of 10,500 migrant workers who have returned to the district have been kept under institutional quarantine. Health check-up was conducted for 6,000 more people. As many as 16 persons have tested positive for the pandemic so far. Therefore, the process of identification of those having preliminary and secondary contacts is on, he added.
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Giving more details, District Health Officer Ramakrishna said that samples from 6,297 people have been collected and sent to the laboratories. Of these, results of 4,008 turned negative and reports for 2,273 samples are awaited. A house-to-survey survey covering 3,91,721 units has been completed. There are 3,94,739 houses across the district, he said.
Raja Amareshwar Naik, MP, Basanagowda Daddal, MLA, N.S. Bose Raju, MLC, Adimani Veeralakshmi, zilla panchayat president, Lakshmikanth Reddy, CEO, C.B. Vedamurthy, Superintendent of Police, Durgesh, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Basavaraj Peerapur, Director of RIMS, and officers were present.