BERHAMPUR: On a day when Ganjam reported 12 more positive cases taking the tally to 262, Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange has decided to lead by example and opted for self-isolation along with other officials. Kulange and team has been at the forefront of the fight against coronavirus in the district. “We are coming in close contact with coronavirus suspects. Since there is a possibility of contracting the virus, we are staying in isolation for the safety of our families,” the Collector said.
Since the outbreak of Covid-19, the senior officials are involved in awareness campaigns while others are taking care of quarantine centres and migrant workers which led them to take the bold decision.The district which has been at the centre of attention with an exponential rise in Covid-19 cases is also finding its heroes in various forms - one being Sudipta Patnaik, headmaster of a school in Chikiti.
With help of the block administration, Patnaik distributed study materials to a Class IX student who is in a quarantine centre after her return from Andhra Pradesh. M Sabitri, the student of Kotlingi school, is quarantined after she returned from Srikakulam with her parents. Her father, M Sriramulu was working in the neighbouring State. Though Sabitri completed 21 days in quarantine, she was again asked to stay in the centre for another one week. Due to the detention, her studies were affected. On being informed about Sabitri’s plight, Patnaik urged the Chikiti Tehsildar to help the girl. After getting approval of the Tehsildar, the headmaster provided books to Sabitri in the quarantine centre in presence of the block officials and also taught her some of the subjects.
Senior officers take stock
On the day, Development Commissioner Suresh Chandra Mahapatra and 5T Secretary VK Pandian took stock of the Covid-19 situation in the district. As part of their whirlwind tour to three southern districts, the two visited over five blocks in Ganjam and reviewed the arrangements put in place by the administration. In Polasara, they enquired about the inmates of quarantine centres, particularly the one at Dhunkapada where a Covid-19 positive migrant worker died. They also held a meeting with doctors of the Covid hospital at Sitalapali.
During their tour to Rayagada district, the duo visited the 100-bed Covid-19 hospital and reviewed the facilities available for patients. While the neighbouring Ganjam is battling with a spurt in positive cases, Rayagada has so far been able to keep the virus at bay due to various preventive measures. However, Rayagada continues to be at risk due to the worsening situation in Ganjam.
The duo also held discussions with Rayagada district officials. Besides, they reviewed agriculture as well as law and order situation in the district. The two top Government officials also visited the Covid hospital in Gajapati district and reviewed the arrangements.
Another tests positive in Deogarh
Deogarh: A day after containment tag was withdrawn from Tileibeni block, Deogarh district reported its second Covid-19 positive case on Friday. The 24-year-old patient is a resident of Prabhasuni village in Tileibeni and had returned from Gujarat on May 11. He has been shifted from the quarantine centre to Covid-19 hospital at Rourkela. The patient was asymptomatic and a day after he returned, his swab sample was sent for test. Eight inmates of the quarantine centre, who shared the room with the patient, have also been shifted to the isolation ward of Deogarh Covid-19 hospital and are under observation. CDMO Manoj Kumar Upadhyay said contact tracing of the patient is underway.
4 more recover, total 52
Jajpur: Four more Covid-19 patients from the district were discharged from hospital after recovering from the infection on Friday. With this, the total number of recovered cases rose to to 52 in Jajpur. All the four recovered patients belong to Bari block. On Thursday, 15 patients had tested negative for Covid-19 and discharged from the hospital. While 31 patients had recovered on Tuesday, two others were discharged from the Covid hospital a few days earlier. On the other hand, the district reported two more positive cases on the day taking the tally to 90. The fresh cases are Surat returnees who were put in quarantine centres. Of the total 90 cases in the district, 38 are still active.