Active Surveillance & More Antigen Tests In Cuttack City During Lockdown; 3 COVID Care Centres For Low-Risk COVID-19 Patients

Cuttack: The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) has adopted a door-to-door surveillance strategy in both slum and non-slum areas to curb COVID-19 cases in the city during the ongoing 14-day lockdown.

At a press briefing here on Sunday, CMC Commissioner Ananya Das said that ward level committees are helping the civic body in the door-to-door survey by informing them about those with symptoms. “We are now creating two lists of  SARI & ILI cases in slum and non-slum areas. We are planning to intensify this further during the lockdown, and start antigen testing from tomorrow in the affected clusters,” she said.

She requested Cuttack residents to cooperate with ASHA and Anganwadi workers and provide all information about those with SARI & ILI symptoms in their household. “People having SARI & ILI symptoms should call 104 and the COVID control room of the CMC is also active. Accordingly, the test will be scheduled. We have to make use of this time and conduct maximum tests,” she said.

The commissioner said low-risk asymptomatic patients with no underlying health conditions will be admitted to COVID care centres identified at three places in Cuttack. “There are 110 patients in Ashwini hospital and among them, 63 are asymptomatic or mild symptomatic cases. The caseload will increase in future and accordingly we have to decide as to how to take care of those with mild symptoms and others who need ventilator and ICU support. This is why we have decided to implement COVID care centres concept,” she said.

A medical officer per shift, staff nurses and facilities like pulse oximeter and glucometer with basic oxygen support will be provided there, she said.

Das further said that there has been a decrease in active cases compared to last week. Those who died of COVID-19 had other health complications.

“Taking into consideration, the vulnerability of government hospitals to the infection amid huge footfall, we had taken a few steps. Doctors at the OPD of these hospitals are checking patients wearing PPE kits and by keeping physical distance. Those who have to be admitted are made to undergo antigen test. We have so far conducted 1700 such tests. Those who test positive are immediately shifted to either COVID hospital or COVID care centres depending on their condition after contact tracing,” he said.

At SCB Medical College and Hospital, temporary OPDs are being set up to maintain social distance, she added.

The commissioner informed that there are two containment zone -Old Rausa Patna and Pratap Nagari- in the city.

“Old Rausa Patna is an important case study for us as all patients were detected through active surveillance (door-to-door). Initially, five persons were found to be suffering from fever, cough and cold, following which they were isolated and made to undergo tests. They later tested positive for the virus and the area was then declared as a containment zone. The figure has gone up to 22 and around three cases among them have been detected in nearby areas (buffer zone) during passive surveillance,” she said.

Following detection of cases in the buffer zone, the houses under containment zone were then increased from 200 to 250, she said.

“The first case at Pratap Nagari was liked with the cancer hospital. A total of nine cases have been detected in the area. No new cases have been reported from here in the last few days,” she added.