Worry For Odisha: ‘Callous’ Cuttack Stares At Rising COVID Rerun

Cuttack: Even as there has been an alarming resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Odisha’s Cuttack district as well as the Millennium City are staring at a similar catastrophe.

The number of positive cases has risen sharply in the past few days. From two to three daily cases earlier, the district reported a spike of 11 cases on Tuesday (March 10) and 8 on a day earlier on Monday (March 11).

Sources blamed this rising number on “laxity” in the part of the district administration and the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC).

They said the Odisha government’s directive for mandatory home isolation for seven days for people coming from high-risk states and strict screening at airports and railway stations has gone for a toss in the district, especially in Cuttack city.

Over 1,500 people have come to Cuttack in trains from different states during the last four days, but the screening centre at Cuttack railway station has no information on their number, name, address or health status. The same is the case with the district administration and CMC.

As a result, people coming from high-risk states are freely moving around and raising the risk of COVID-19 resurgence in the district, The New Indian Express reported.

“This is a serious issue. The possibility of the returnees carrying the coronavirus can’t be ruled out. This can blow up into a serious situation again. The authorities should be held accountable by the state government,” said a local resident.

On his part, the Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer, Satyabrat Chhotray, also expressed concern and said instructions have been given to screen all passengers coming from high-risk states to the district at Cuttack railway station.

Till date, 29,133 persons have been infected by coronavirus in the district and 133 have succumbed to the virus.

Also Read: CMC Forms Teams To Enforce COVID-19 Norms In Cuttack From This Day