IndiaChief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has given instructionsto the Principal Secretary (Health( and Korba collector toseal the affected area of Katghora and get everyone testedthere for coronavirus, an official here said.
Seven people, including a woman, tested positive forCOVID-19 in the Purani Basti area of Katghora on Thursday. OnWednesday, a 52-year-old man from the same locality had alsotested positive.
All these eight people had come in contact with 16Tablighi Jamaat members who were staying at a mosque in thearea after arriving from Maharashtra last month, he said.
Earlier on April 4, a 16-year-old boy, who was amongthese Jamaat members, had tested positive for COVID-19.
The chief minister has ordered constitution of aspecial team and setting up a 'war room' to contain the spreadof the infection and handle the situation in the area, theofficial said.
Officials have been directed to identify and place inquarantine all those who have arrived in the affected area ormoved out of there during the last 20 days, he said.
All the doctors, health workers and governmentemployees working in the area during this period will beexamined for COVID-19, the official said.
The Katghora town is located around 200 km from thestate capital Raipur.
All the eight people who tested positive in the areain the last 24 hours have been admitted to the All IndiaInstitute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Raipur.
With this, a total of 10 COVID-19 cases have beendetected in Korba district so far, while the number ofconfirmed cases in the state has reached 18.
However, nine of the patients have been dischargedfrom hospitals after recovering from the disease, he said.
According to the Korba police, one of the 16 membersof the Jamaat, who arrived in Katghora from Maharashtra, hadattended the congregation in Nizamuddin in New Delhi lastmonth that emerged as a key source of the coronavirus spread. TKPRSY RSY