COVID-19 Hotspot District-returnees in Bhubaneswar Slums To Undergo 14-day Institutional Quarantine

Bhubaneswar: The constant rise in COVID-19 positive cases in Bhubaneswar has now forced authorities to revise their strategy to contain the spread of coronavirus. As per the latest decision, a special strategy is being implemented in slum pockets and in view of them same, persons coming from COVID hotspot districts to slum areas of the capital city will have to undergo mandatory institutional quarantine, informed Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner, Prem Chandra Chaudhary.

“After relaxation in lockdown conditions and opening up of economic activities, people have started coming from other districts to work and mostly they reside in slum areas. It is observed that a few returnees from other hotspot districts have tested positive for coronavirus in Bhubaneswar,” a BMC notification read.

People returning from 5 #COVID19 hotspot districts - Ganjam, Cuttack, Balasore, Gajapati & Jajpur to slum areas of #Bhubaneswar will be kept in 14-day INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE

-Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC)

— OTV (@otvnews) June 26, 2020

The notification further stated that “In the larger public interest, the returnees from five districts- Ganjam, Cuttack, Balasore, Gajapati and Jajpur to slum areas of Bhubaneswar will be kept in institutional quarantine for the specified period of 14 days from their date of return from the above districts.”

In view of larger public interest, to contain the spread of #COVID19, it has been decided that people returning to slum areas of #Bhubaneswar from hotspot districts Ganjam, Cuttack, Balasore, Gajapati & Jajpur will be kept in 14 days institutional quarantine. #BMCSlumStrategy pic.twitter.com/n5rf7W0PwZ

— BMC (@bmcbbsr) June 26, 2020

Out of the total 17 COVID-19 cases detected from Khurda district in the last 24 hours, 16 cases have been reported from BMC limits. Of those 16 new cases, 14 cases are local contact cases.

BMC Commissioner informed that 274 COVID-19 positive cases have been reported from Bhubaneswar so far and out of which 132 are active cases while 138 persons have already recovered. All the active cases are undergoing treatment at dedicated COVID hospitals, he added.

Update on newly detected & cured #COVID19 cases in the last 24 hrs under the BMC area on 26th Jun 2020(till 9am).

Further contact tracing is still continuing.
Primary contacts & nearby houses are being quarantined, sanitised & will be under active surveillance. pic.twitter.com/gKqXu6J0wn

— BMC (@bmcbbsr) June 26, 2020

Sharing details about the challenges, Chaudhary informed that so far over 8000 returnees have come to Bhubaneswar from other States and out of them, 2791 persons are in quarantine and others have completed the 14-day of quarantine.

Though there are 132 active COVID-19 cases in Bhubaneswar, 25 positive cases are from other States while 39 cases are linked to a particular private hospital, Chaudhary informed.

While addressing a presser today, BMC Covid observer, Anu Garg informed that “We are closely monitoring situation through BMC. Already ward-level committees have been formed for better COVID-19 management in the city with focus on slum pockets.”

A dedicated WhatsApp group, Sachetak App is being used to identify vulnerable population and provide them with necessary help and assistance, Garg added.

(Edited By Bikram Keshari Jena)

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