JAIPUR: Three new cases of Coronavirus have been reported in Rajasthan, two of which are from Bhilwara. The district has now become the epicenter of COVID-19 as it alone has 21 cases out of 46 in the state.
The two people died of coronavirus on Thursday had tested positive for virus earlier in Bhilwara. The wife and son of one Suva Lal Jat (60), who died on Thursday, have also tested positive on Friday morning which created more panic in the city.
The boundaries of Bhilwara are sealed. But in spite of that people have fled to other districts in large numbers increasing the risk of community infection. Not only this, Bhilwara is the first epicenter of the country, in which 21 cases out of 457 samples were found positive. This is the highest as per the average.
The textile city has been facing the greatest risk of community infection as the situation has reached phase three here.
Concerned with the developments, WHO experts are saying that the risk of community infection is a big and deadly challenge for the whole of Rajasthan. In Bhilwara, 11,000 people are suspected, out of which 6445 have been kept in home isolation. They are under close observation now.
Earlier in the district, a doctor himself was infected by the guests at his house who had come from abroad. And then he started infecting others in the city. The root of community infection in this entire district is Bangar Hospital of Bhilwara where the doctor was working.
According to the health officials, 7 thousand people were allowed to come in contact with doctors of Bangar Hospital. Now, out of 21 infected patients, 17 are doctors and staff of the hospital. There are total 86 beds in the hospital and it has also come in notice that the administration kept admitting more patients. This caused the infection to flare up from one to the other.
The situation now is such that a third survey of 77 thousand houses of the city is being undertaken. Sampling is being done with the 650 in isolation. As many as 149 patients are at high risk while 133 came from abroad.
Rajasthan's Health Minister, Raghu Sharma said Bhilwara is at major risk of community spread. He also blamed the private hospital for the situation. " All this is caused due to the negligence of the private hospital. The infection spread from there and the situation has become dangerous. We have completed a survey of 18.5 lakh people of Bhilwara. There are 11 thousand suspects. District Health Department is also tracing the people who have moved out of the district. The CMHO and team of Bhilwara are working very hard. In all, 332 teams are engaged."
At the moment, curfew has been imposed for the eighth consecutive day and there is complete silence in Bhilwara. People are strictly prohibited from venturing out. The administration is transporting essential goods to people's homes.