WB govt to boost surveillance in slum areas to ensure lockdown implementation

Kolkata, Apr 15 () The West Bengal government hasdecided to step up surveillance in slum areas in and aroundthe metropolis to ensure implementation of lockdown norms, anofficial said on Wednesday.

The identification process of such areas is nowcomplete, he said.

"These slums have quite a good number of people livingthere. They use common facilities such as toilets and washingareas. Also, these places have very narrow lanes and chancesof the spread of COVID-19 are high. Therefore, adhering to thelockdown is critical," the health department official said,without giving details of the slums identified.

The state government has also opened 'fever clinics'in several hospitals across the city.

As a part of measures of the Kolkata MunicipalCorporation (KMC), officials will be visiting these slum areasto find out if people exhibited symptoms of COVID-19.

As many as 17 people have tested positive forcoronavirus in West Bengal over the last 24 hours, taking thenumber of active cases to 132, the state government saidearlier in the day. Seven people have so far died due to thecontagion. SCHRBT RBT