Local transmission of COVID-19 haunts Bhubaneswar and Cuttack

103 new cases were reported across the state with 13 cases detected in the Capital city including one in Salia Sahi slum.
A medic works on a sample for COVID-19 rapid test center in Bhubaneswar. (File photo| Biswanath Swain, EPS)
A medic works on a sample for COVID-19 rapid test center in Bhubaneswar. (File photo| Biswanath Swain, EPS)

BHUBANESWAR/CUTTACK: Odisha reported 130 new COVID-19 cases and one death on Friday taking the total number of cases to 2,608 and eight casualties respectively even as a spectre of local transmission seems to be haunting the two major cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. 

While 13 cases were detected in the Capital city, including one from the city’s biggest slum Salia Sahi, neighbouring Cuttack reported three. Six of Bhubaneswar’s cases and all three from Cuttack are locals. 

The deceased, a 63-year-old man with comorbidities, also belonged to Unit VII. He had tested positive for coronavirus on May 31. "His diabetes was uncontrollable and he developed bilateral pneumonia before succumbing to the disease," sources said.

As COVID-19 tally of Bhubaneswar jumped to 81, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that two cases each were reported from Forest Park, Unit-IV and Laxmi Sagar, while Patrapada, Tankapani road, Chintamaniswar, Old Town, Dumduma, Salia Sahi and Aiginia reported one each. Seven of the 13 cases were related to home quarantine while six are local contacts having indirect link with cases reported earlier. 

The cases reported from Patrapada as well as New Forest Park and one of the cases from Laxmi Sagar have travel history of New Delhi. Those from Tankapani Road, Chitamaniswar and Old Town have travel history of Jharkhand, Maharashtra and West Bengal respectively. BMC Commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhary said that active surveillance has been launched in the affected areas and 40 neighbours of each of the infected persons have been put under home quarantine. 

"No place has been declared as containment zone. However, we have sanitised all affected areas," Chaudhary said. Meanwhile, a Central team-led by Joint Secretary (Defence) Vishal Gagan began stock-taking of the COVID-19 situation in the Capital. Two doctors from AIIMS and one health expert from Odisha were part of the team. 

The team visited Trident quarantine facility, reviewed the COVID Sachetak programme and active surveillance carried out by the civic body in the affected areas. The team also inspected Jaydev Vihar where around 10 families have been home quarantined. In Cuttack city, a female sweeper and a male security guard of the urban community health centre (UCHC) at CDA Sector-7 tested positive.

Both were reportedly engaged in duty at the swab sample collection centre on the premises of the UCHC and had come in contact with positive patients. Their swab samples were collected and sent for examination on June 2 after they developed symptoms, informed city health officer Satyabrata Mohapatra. 

The female sweeper was staying in a rented house at Deulasahi and husband is stated to have been residing in Jajpur. The security guard is a resident of Siddheswar Sahi and stated to have performed duty at City Hospital, where a paediatrician tested positive on May 26.

"Both the patients have been admitted to dedicated COVID-19 wing at Ashwini Hospital. We have succeeded in tracing as many as 88 contacts of both the patients. Their swab samples have been collected for tests and they all have been quarantined," said Mohapatra. On the other hand, the State on Friday also recorded its highest recovery of 123 cases from 14 districts. 

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com