KENDRAPARA: The district administration has sealed 12 villages within a three km radius of Radhanagar within Aul police limits after a 32-year-old man tested COVID-19 positives on Monday. The man, who was working as a plumber in Dubai, had returned to Radhanagar on March 24 and been under home quarantine. His blood and throat swab samples were sent to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for tests on April 4 and result received on Monday night. Three of his family members have been put in-home quarantine and are under medical supervision.
Collector Samarth Verma said villages within a three km radius of Radhanagar have been sealed for containment measures. “The entire area has been turned into a restricted zone until further orders. We have advised people to stay in their houses. Door-to-door surveys are being conducted by health officials. Samples of suspects will only be tested,” he said.
The Collector has asked people with travel history to pay heed to the advice of health officials and behave responsibly to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The authorities will arrest those who skip the mandatory social-distancing period. We are on high alert to provide preliminary treatment to all suspects, he said.
Around 25,000 people from villages in Pattamundai, Aul, Rajkanika and Rajnagar blocks work as plumbers abroad mostly in Middle East countries. Expatriates from rural areas of the district are credited with boosting the local economy in the past four decades by sending remittances worth crores of rupees every year.
As many as 587 persons from abroad and 8,870 from other States have returned to the district. They have been placed under home quarantine. Verma said such people have been advised to remain in their homes and not interact with others for two weeks.
However, the arrival of a large number of migrant workers to their villages in the district and its nearby areas from Kerala, Punjab, Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and other States and abroad has raised concern among locals. Many workers also arrived in their villages without undergoing any screening.
Virus concern
The man, working as a plumber in Dubai, had returned on March 24. Three of his family members have been put in home quarantine People with travel history asked to pay heed to health officials’ advice 587 persons from abroad and 8,870 from other States have returned to the district