One-third of all Odisha COVID-19 cases have Bengal link: Officials
The state government's direction in this regard camesoon after the Health and Family Welfare department said that10 the 13 of the fresh corona cases (5 each from Bhadrak andJajpur districts) reported within 24 hours, have West Bengallink.
"The state government has asked all the districtcollectors to remain alert on people returning from WestBengal. At least 24 of the state's 74 COVID-19 positive caseshave West Bengal link," state government's COVID-19Spokesperson Subroto Bagchi said during a media briefing here.
He pointed out that 10 West Bengal returnees fiveeach in Bhadrak and Jajpur district - have tested positive forCOVID-19 on Monday.
Detection of more COVID-19 positive cases is a goodsign as it minimizes risk and prevents uncontrolled spread,Bagchi said:
"At the same time, it is a matter of concern for thestate that many people work in the West Bengal and they travelbetween the two states. One should be very alert," he said.
Bagchi said, apart from the administration, the localpanchayats and urban local bodies too have a major role toplay to stop the spread of the disease.
"Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday accorded thepower of collector to sarpanch and executive officers ofdifferent urban local bodies. These people will actuallyensure detection of the people who returned from West Bengaland keep them in quarantine," he said.
Meanwhile, the Health and Family Welfare Department inits official twitter handle appealed to people who returnedfrom West Bengal, to voluntarily come forward for corona testand keep themselves in home or hospital quarantine.
" Ten persons of Bhadrak and Jajpur districts withtravel history to West Bengal have tested positive for COVID-19 during last 24 hours. All with travel history to WB duringlast 28 days are requested to inform the local sarpanch,BDO/Tahasildar and quarantine themselves at home," the Healthand Family Welfare department said in its twitter post.
Jajpur Collector Ranjan Kumar Das also appealed topeople in his district to inform the administration about thepersons returning from West Bengal in recent past. "We appeal,local panchayat, urban local body elected members, members ofthe public and all to help the administration in tracing moreCOVID-19 positive cases in the district," the collector said.
Apart from the fresh 10 positive cases from Bhadrakand Jajpur districts, 14 other COVID-19 afflicted people haveWest Bengal link. As many as eight persons detected as COVID-19 positive at Surya Nagar area in Bhubaneswar, had alsoKolkata link.
"One woman from Surya Nagar visited Kolkata and shetransmitted to seven others including her elderly parents inSurya Nagar," an official said calling her a "super spreader"in Odisha.
Similarly, a young girl from Kendrapara district alsogot infection from Kolkata where her father worked as aplumber. AAM SKNRG RG