BHUBANESWAR: While COVID-19 infection is rapidly rising in the State, reports of Health department and district administrations not being able to ensure timely isolation of patients and trace their immediate contacts are coming in.
A case detected in Bhubaneswar’s Patrapada is a glaring example. A 44-year-old man from the area tested positive on Sunday. Though he was informed about it by AIIMS-Bhubaneswar, no one from the Health department, Khurda administration or BMC arrived to shift him to a Covid hospital. The man, working in a software firm, later informed his employer who took him on his motorcycle and admitted him to the Covid-19 facility of the hospital.
The mismanagement didn’t end here. No contact tracing has started in this case even after 24 hours of detection. “Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation officials who called me up this afternoon, after 24 hours, collected information about people I have come in contact with but have not approached anyone,” he said.
Bimalendu Pradhan, his employer, said the patient came in contact with at least 12 persons including his family members, office staff and a neighbour. “Keeping the risk in view, we have self quarantined ourselves,” he said.
In another case, the Capital Hospital authorities said an 11-year-old boy from Salia Sahi having Covid symptoms of fever and breathlessness, was admitted to pediatric ward last week. The boy died within a few hours of admission. The boy’s swab sample tested positive but his parents claimed that they brought him from a Covid hospital at Cuttack but failed to produce any documents. There has been no update on the Covid death toll of the city since July 15, although senior officials of the hospital have confirmed that the incident took place after the said date.
Meanwhile, in another case from Gautam Nagar at Koraput town, a young entrepreneur had his swab test done on July 11 but got report after 10 days on July 20. He alleged that though health officials had assured him that he would receive the report in five to seven days, that wasn’t the case.
To his surprise, the entrepreneur came to know that he has tested positive for the virus from his friends who got the information for local sources. “Is this how identity of a Covid patient is concealed?” he asked. His contact tracing has not been done yet. The district officials couldn’t be reached for their comments.
Meanwhile, BMC Commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhary said contact tracing is done immediately after cases are detected. The Patrapada case may have been reported from a rural area. The civic body will intimate this to the district administration and take measures accordingly.He said death cases are not included in Covid toll until they are verified.
LAPSES GALORE
A 44-year-old man from Patrapada tested positive on Sunday but was shifted to Covid hospital by his employer in a motorcycle as none from the civic body or Health dept turned up
An entrepreneur did his swab test on July 11 but was informed about being tested positive after 10 days