PATNA: People residing in relief campus after being evacuated from flood-hit districts across Bihar will now be served cups of 'kaadha' (decoction) made with herbal ingredients in a bid to increase their immunity and make them less vulnerable to contracting coronavirus.
'Kaadha' will be prepared by community kitchens set up across the state's 16 flood-hit districts and served to the people thrice a day, preparations of which, have already started as per official sources.
As per an official bulletin, issued by the State Disaster Management Department on Thursday, more than 10.3 lakh, (out of over 69 lakh flood-affected victims) are being served food in 1,402 community kitchens and eight mega relief centres set up across Bihar.
Further, people in those camps will also be tested for coronavirus with the help of rapid antigen kits, following the directions of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar after he made an aerial survey of those areas.
Principal Health Secretary Pratyay Amrit confirmed that covid-19 testing of people in those camps and other affected areas has already begun on a large scale.
“With testing ramped up, Bihar crossed the testing rate of more than 60,000 in the last 24 hours for the first time, on Thursday,” Amrit said.
Apart from this, people in camps are also being given masks and soaps both at the relief camps, community centres and other areas where they are stuck due to the deluge.
In Bihar, 1,185 panchayats fewer than 124 blocks in 16 districts have been hit by the floods. Twenty-one people have lost their lives and almost 4,82,000 people have been displaced.
Number of flood-affected districts - 16
Number of flood affected blocks - 124
Number of flood affected panchayats -1185
Number of people affected with flood - 69,04,640
Number of people displayed by flood - 4,81,939
Number of relief camps - 8
Number of community kitchens set up -1402
Number of people being served at community kitchens -10,31,783
Total deaths - 21
(Source - Bihar State Disaster Department)