CUTTACK: For the first time since mid-April, Cuttack city on Monday recorded zero new Covid-19 cases bringing hope for the residents ahead of the New Year.The millennium city had reported its first case from Patapola in mid-April. With sporadic cases detected over the next two months, the city’s tally remained within 50 till June 30.
However, the infection rate began to shoot from July with detection of over 100 positive cases daily in September and October. The highest 342 cases were detected on September 23. The city started witnessing a downward trend in infections from November first week. So far, the Covid tally in CMC area stands at 16,180 with 63 active cases. As many as 16,032 patients have recovered while the disease has claimed 85 lives.
On the other hand, paradoxically, a stark resurgence of Covid-19 is being witnessed in the rural areas of the district. Athagarh sub-collector Ajambar Mohanty on Monday declared Kakudia panchayat in Narasinghpur block as containment zone after six persons in the area tested positive. The containment restrictions will remain in force till 6 pm on Wednesday.
Earlier, the district administration had imposed containment restrictions in Paikarapur village in Joranda and Nuasahi village in Badapatasundarpur panchayats to check spread of the infection. The health officials have intensified contact tracing while collecting swab samples of family members of the infected persons
in the containment zones.
The order has asked the owners of shops and commercial establishments in the area to down their shutters during the period. Necessary arrangements have been put in place for supply of medicines and other essential items to the people inside the containment zone, it added.
Sources said, the district administration is yet to chalk out strategy to check the infection resurgence. “If the enforcement activities are not intensified, the situation may go out of the control compelling the administration to go for lockdown and shutdown,” said a health expert. The district has reported 12 fresh cases including six from Niali, five from Cuttack Sadar and one from Mahanga blocks in the last 24 hours.