Coronavirus: 45 cases in Bhubaneswar so far, senior officials made in charge of containment

So far, Odisha has tested a total of 5,537 samples and detected 60 positive cases

Vegetable vendors maintain social distance at a market in wake of the coronavirus pandemic, during the nationwide lockdown, in Bhubaneswar, on April 13, 2020.

With Bhubaneswar emerging as the lone hotspot in Odisha with 45 COVID-19 positive cases being recorded till Tuesday, the State government has assigned senior administration officials to be in overall charges of containment and prevention of the disease in the city.

So far, Odisha has tested a total of 5,537 samples and detected 60 positive cases. While 41 patients are under treatment in exclusive hospitals, 18 have recovered and one has died.

The capital city has been divided into three zones and two senior IAS officers each have been assigned the responsibility of these areas. They will oversee intensive sampling of primary and secondary contacts of patients, contact tracing, household survey by the surveillance team in the containment zone and supply of essential commodities for the households under containment.

The senior officers were assigned special duties after the disease status was reviewed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday where concern was raised about the increase in the number of cases in Bhubaneswar.

The overall strategy would be guided by the guidelines issued by the Union Health Ministry and administered by the State government’s Health & Family Welfare Department, Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy said in his order.

In a separate set of instructions relating to containment zones issued by Mr. Tripathy, it has been said that establishment of these zones to contain the disease by isolating possible contacts/infections in the area will be based on technical considerations.

The areas may be barricaded from all sides prohibiting entry and exit of people and a vulnerability mapping should be done for households with single women, aged persons with no support, pregnant women, seriously ill persons and persons with disabilities and have focused attention planned for them, the order said.

If no new case is detected after conducting at least two rounds of survey of each household, the authorities concerned may lift the containment in consultation with the Health Department, according to the order.