BHUBANESWAR: As many as 146 persons, including 12 personnel of Odisha Fire Services who had recently returned from West Bengal after Cyclone Amphan related restoration tasks tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours in Odisha pushing the total number of cases to cross 3000 mark in 85 days.
The 12 firemen, part of 372-member team led by Chief Fire Officer Maheswar Swain, were deputed to the neighbouring State to undertake restoration work in the aftermath of the cyclone.
The new cases are spread across 17 districts in the State with Khurda contributing maximum 19 cases and Ganjam (18), followed by eight in Jagatsinghpur and seven each in Balasore and Sundargarh.
With this the total number of cases soared to 3140 of which 1136 are active. Ganjam district is worst affected with 649 positive cases. Nine persons, including four from Ganjam, have succumbed so far.
The fire services personnel were diagnosed with the coronavirus infection a day after 50 jawans of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) tested positive following their return from the cyclone hit areas in Bengal.
DG of Fire Services Satyajit Mohanty has wished them speedy recovery. "12 of our fearless fire fighters who returned from #Kolkata with laurels after #CycloneAmphan restoration tasks tested +ve for Covid-19.
The State Government has ensured the best possible medical care. Wish the brave hearts fast
recovery," he tweeted.
The 372-member team divided into 30 sub-teams having 10 personnel each headed by one Station Officer performed 12 days of hard and arduous work in cyclone ravaged Kolkata and Howrah clearing more than 2500 uprooted trees and over 700 electric poles before returning to Odisha after normalcy was restored.
"They all were in institutional quarantine as per the protocol and accommodated in Krupajal Engineering College Campus and Revenue Officers Training Institute. Swab samples of 100 personnel were collected recently and sent for tests," said an official.
The personnel tested positive have been admitted to a Covid Hospital in the city. Most of them are asymptomatic. Swab samples of others will be collected soon and tested, he added.