Ganjam pulls up socks to prevent second wave
Berhampur: The Ganjam district administration on Wednesday started the 10-day door-to-door health screening of people to identify Covid-19 patients. It is being done to prevent a possible second wave of Covid infections in the district.
After screening the family, the health team is putting up stickers in each house as a proof of completion of the process. This is the 8th round of mega health screening being carried out in the district after the first Covid-19 case surfaced in the district on May 2.
The survey will make people aware of preventing the disease and the importance of getting tested, said collector (Ganjam) Vijay Amruta Kulange.
Forty teams with 120 personnel are undertaking the survey in areas under Berhampur Municipal Corporation. It might be extended by one of two days if all households are not covered, said commissioner of the corporation Siddheswar Baliram Bondare.
He said health teams will also identify people with asthma and comorbidities. “We will provide utmost care to patients with kidney diseases, hypertension and asthma,” said Kulange.
According to sources, frequent door-to-door survey to identify suspected cases and providing treatment to them was one of the causes for the decline in positive cases in the district that was badly affected in July and August when migrants returned home.
Currently, the Covid-19 tally of the district stands at 21,293 with the detection of 33 new cases on Wednesday. So far, 230 people have died of the disease. There are 176 active cases while 20,879 have been cured till Wednesday noon. The district has a recovery rate of 98%, sources added.
The district administration has decided to strictly enforce Covid-19 regulations, including “Pancha Sutra” or the five-point strategy, for the shopkeepers ahead of Diwali. Official teams will visit the market areas for the safety audits.