WARANGAL: Over 400 teams of healthcare workers started a door-to-door survey of nearly 45,000 households in Warangal to identify people who came in contact with those who participated in the Tablighi Jamaat conference in New Delhi.
The move comes after 21 persons from Warangal Urban district, who attended the conference, tested positive for Covid-19.
As most of them were from the city, authorities were on high alert. The patients were shifted to Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad.
In a bid to curb the spread of the novel Coronavirus in the district, the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) and District Medical Officials pressed 450 teams into service to trace people suffering from its symptoms.
Warangal Urban Collector Rajeev Gandhi Hanumanthu, Commissioner of Police V Ravinder and GWMC Commissioner Pamela Satpathy identified the affected areas in the cities.
Health and police officials found 224 primary contacts of the Covid-19 positive patients and quarantined them at Ananta Laxmi Ayurvedic Medical College and Harita Kakatiya Hotel.
This apart, the administration was disinfecting residential areas with sodium hypochlorite. The Health Department was also conducting a door-to-door survey in 15 areas of the tri-cites.
But, healthcare workers urged their higher-ups to provide them with infrared thermal screening equipment.
“We provided thermal screening equipment to five teams in five areas. We are trying to procure more equipment from the State government,” Warangal Urban District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) Dr K Lalitha Devi said. Meanwhile, the health staff was facing resistance from residents.
“They argue with us when we try and convince them (those showing the symptoms) to shift to a quarantine facility. We request the officials to give us thermal screening equipment. This will make the surveyors and people happy,” one of the staff members said.
Prompt action
District health and police officials find 224 primary contacts of Covid-19 patients, quarantine them at Ananta Laxmi Ayurvedic Medical College and Harita Kakatiya Hotel.