Sambalpur: Health Minister Naba Kishore Das has ordered his department to rush in a medical team to a gram panchayat in Sambalpur district that has reported a spurt in COVID-19 cases in recent days.
According to reports, Dimirimunda panchayat in Jamankira block has reported 38 positive cases in last three days.
Dimirimunda, which is located around 70 km from Sambalpur town, has a population of 1,000. In the last three days, as many as 13 persons from the village and 25 from other villages of the panchayat have tested positive for COVID-19.
Dimirimunda village has already been declared a containment zone.
The minister said immediate action should be taken to treat the infected as well as implement precautionary measures to contain the spread of the virus.
Sarpanch of Dimirimunda, Rukmini Kisan informed that the transmission is suspected to have started during a large religious gathering. On March 28, a day before Holi, villagers had organised ‘Prahari Nama Jagyan’ and people from various areas had gathered on the occasion.
The next day, the ‘Nagar Parikrama’ ritual was held and all the villagers played Holi at one place. The COVID-19 cases were reported soon thereafter.
Block Development Officer (BDO), Ajay Tiwari said, all precautionary measures are being taken to check the spread of the virus. “We are awaiting instruction of the district administration for further action,” he was quoted as saying by The New Indian Express.
