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Bhubaneswar: The COVID tale in Odisha turns murkier. The State government had raised an alarm over the potential risk of 'super spreaders' in the State since the detection of patient number 5 and the Surya Nagar case in the capital city. But the travel stories of many positive patients from Jajpur, which were released today by the State government, have come as a big shocker for the State.
Moreover, another big trend observed is, one positive patient from Jajpur developed symptoms after 14-day period. As per the travel details, patient number 71 went to the District Hospital of Jajpur with fever on April 15, after completing 14-day home quarantine.
As per WHO, symptoms of Coronavirus manifest either within 5-days or before 14 days. But studies by US-based Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and China's National Health Commission (NHC) show in nearly 1-3 per cent COVID-19 patients, symptoms manifested between 14-22 days.
What seems baffling here is when the State Health Department has been collecting samples from persons having travel history, in the case of P-71, sample was collected post development of symptoms.
Regarding the quarantine dictum in State, the detection of many positive cases in Jajpur simply bares the chinks in State administration's claim of 24X7 monitoring and tracking of persons with travel history.
Because, not one, as many 3 cases in Jajpur show how home quarantine norms specified by Odisha government were flagrantly violated in the district.
At a time when detection of COVID positive in as many as 13 individuals who returned to the State during the lockdown period, has put the State's government in the line of fire, the travel history of COVID positives released today proved a double whammy.
In fact, the new cases have blown the lid over the weak enforcement of home quarantine norms in the State, especially in Jajpur district.
For instance, the tale of patient number 73 tells all. Despite being asked to stay in home quarantine for 14 days, P-72 had visited PDS shop during the quarantine period. More stunning is, after completion of so called quarantine period, the said individual even had played cards with friends on April 20 - the day he tested COVID positive.
As per health department sources, the sample of P-72 was collected during the second week of his quarantine period. Sources justified the late collection, as in many cases samples taken before 5-days from asymptomatic patients resulted in negative.
Similar is the story of patient number 74 from Birajapur in Jajpur. Post returning from Kolkata on March 29, when lockdown was in place, the medical officer at CHC there advised P-74 to undergo home quarantine. But the travel details raise many eyebrows.
As per the details, P-74 had joined a lunch party in a friend's house during the home quarantine period. He had even visited grocery and meat shops during his home stay period. Finally, P-74 tested positive on April 20, despite being an asymptomatic.
The cases of flagrant violation of home quarantine in State shows Odisha has learnt no lessons from the explosion of Tablighi cluster on the national scene. The COVID-19 guidelines were violated with impunity and Odisha has to live up with many 'super spreaders', despite State government's warning.
