A panchayat in Odisha’s Ganjam district was declared as a containment zone after three villagers, including a Block Vice Chairman died in the past three days.
Dharakot Block Vice Chairman Bhagaban Swain tested positive after his death.
The Jahada panchayat has closed its boundary for the next six days, till July 2. According to an order issued by Jahada’s Sarpanch Sulata Behera, people have been advised to stay indoors as the COVID-19 contagion has worsened in the area.
Ganjam District Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange confirmed one COVID-19 death in the Jahada panchayat.
The management of the pandemic has lately become challenging for the administration in isolated pockets of Odisha, forcing local shutdowns.
Highest in Ganjam
A four-day-long shutdown began in the Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BMC) from Saturday. As many as 70 medical teams have been deputed for detail screening at Berhampur in the Ganjam district, which has reported the highest number — 1,195 — of the total of 6,350 positive cases in the State.
The Gajapati district administration has enforced a three-day-long shutdown in the district headquarters towns of the Paralakhemundi, Gosani and Gumma blocks, and the Ranipentho gram panchayat of Kashinagar block from Sunday.
According to the estimate, the five districts of Ganjam (1,195), Khordha (771), Cuttack (537), Gajapati (427) and Jajpur (405) account for 52.51% of the total COVID-19 positive cases detected in the State. Similarly, 16 out 30 districts have more than 100 positive cases.
Surveillance in slums
Given the sudden rise in local cases, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has intensified active surveillance in slum areas. “Recovered persons are being taken to transit homes. Home quarantine is not allowed in slums. Persons returning from hotspot districts will not be allowed home quarantine — they must undergo institutional quarantine. Slum committees have been formed in each slum pocket,” said BMC Commissioner Prem Chandra Choudhary.
Meanwhile, Odisha reported 170 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday. Of them, 143 cases were recorded from quarantine centres, while 27 persons were locals.
Published - June 27, 2020 06:04 pm IST
