Coronavirus: Bhubaneswar's Surya Nagar sealed amid community spread fear

A 60-year-old man with co-morbid conditions as diabetes and hypertension and no travel history within the State, outside or abroad had tested positive on Wednesday.
Odisha Fire Service personnel sanitizing campus of Capital Hospita during lockdown in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. (Photo| Biswanath Swain, EPS)
Odisha Fire Service personnel sanitizing campus of Capital Hospita during lockdown in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. (Photo| Biswanath Swain, EPS)

BHUBANESWAR: With the case history of Odisha’s Patient no 5 giving out all signs of coronavirus community transmission, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) scrambled to strengthen containment measures and sealed the entire Surya Nagar locality on Thursday evening.

The 60-year-old man with co-morbid conditions as diabetes and hypertension and no travel history within the State, outside or abroad had tested positive on Wednesday. He used to stay in his house most of the time and venture out only when medical help was required. The patient is on ventilator support in the isolation ward of AIIMS-Bhubaneswar.

The man had developed severe cold early last month and visited the Mahashakti clinic at Surya Nagar on March 5. He once again went there for consultation on March 12 after his condition progressed to cough.

He developed breathing difficulties subsequently and went to the IMS and SUM Hospital OPD on March 27. The following day, on March 28, he reported to the AIIMS OPD and was sent back home with medical advice. However, as his condition turned worse, he was admitted to AIIMS on March 31. His sample was collected and he tested positive on April 1.

So far, 21 of his contacts, including his family members and those staying in their building, have been traced. Samples of 14 have been collected and sent for tests. "We have traced 21 contacts of Patient No 5. Besides, 33 contacts of Patient No 4, who returned to his hometown Bhadrak from Dubai via Kolkata station in a train, have also been traced. Efforts are on to get them tested," State chief spokesperson Subroto Bagchi said.

Meanwhile, the entire area - Gopabandhu Square - LIC Square - Ganganagar - Siripur Square - has been declared ‘Restricted Zone’ so that no one can go out or come in. The BMC has assured the residents that essential items would be sent in on a regular basis. 

Surya Nagar sealed amid community spread fear

BMC Commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhury said all entry and exit points of the area have been sealed and will be barricaded. “People have been advised to remain indoors till further orders and those who have come in contact with the patient will have to remain in home quarantine for 14 days. They have been asked to register their names on 104 helpline,” he said. 

Chaudhury said the area has been disinfected as part of cluster containment strategy. If anyone is found indulging in social discrimination directly or indirectly against Patient No 5’s family members will face action under provisions of Epidemic Disease Act.

A health official said, "The administration had no option but to initiate containment as no travel history or contact history of the patient could be established. Teams will visit households in the containment area to ascertain whether any person has flu like symptoms." 

The health officials neither did confirm nor rule out whether the patient is a case of community transmission. However, people in the City have been advised not to panic and maintain social distancing and personal hygiene as means to prevent transmission.

Call 104 for help

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government on Thursday stepped up swab testing and urged people who returned from abroad and coronavirus-hit States in the country to volunteer for tests if they develop any symptom. They were advised not to come to hospital and call on 104 helpline so that required guidance and arrangements to come to nearby swab collection centre will be provided.

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