Five more COVID-19 cases detected in Hailakandi; total cases 44

A CORRESPONDENT

HAILAKANDI: Five new COVID-19 positive cases have been detected in Hailakandi district on Sunday.

Health authorities here said that of the five infected persons, two are in ALC College Quarantine Centre, one in Polytechnic Quarantine Centre, one in the isolation ward of SK Roy Civil Hospital and one in home quarantine in Ward No.6 under Hailakandi Municipal area.

Of the five infected, Anwar Hussain (23), Nungthoi Chanu (8) and Abdul Matlib (30) have travel history to Pune; Anush Debnath (9) to Delhi and Hijabuddin Laskar (20) to Mumbai. With these new cases, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in the district have increased to 44, including one death.

The district on Saturday recorded 20 COVID-19 positive cases, the steepest rise in a day so far.

The superintendent of SK Roy Civil Hospital, Dr.Sudip Chakraborty, said that while 22 COVID-19 infected persons are currently undergoing treatment at the hospital, five persons, including two children, have been referred to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) on Sunday.

Following the detection of COVID-19 positive cases, the district administration has declared four localities as containment zones to arrest the spread of the contagious disease.

District Magistrate Megh Nidhi Dahal issued orders enforcing the sealing of the geographical areas contiguous to the epicentre of the houses of COVID-19 infected persons and creation of buffer zones with strict perimeters to prevent the disease from spreading further.

Containment zones have come up in and around the epicentre of COVID-19 infected persons -- Romi Singha and Monita Singha of village Rajeswarpur Part VIII under Lala revenue circle, Jahanara Begum of village Panchgram under Algapur revenue circle, Sunali Malakar of Hospital Road under Katlicherra revenue circle and Anush Debnath of Ward No. 6 under Hailakandi municipal area.

Vehicles and persons entering and exiting the containment zones have been strictly restricted as per standard operating procedures (SOP) under the Assam COVID-19 Regulations, 2020. "No person will be allowed to go out from the containment zone and no outsider will be permitted to go in, to check the spread of the deadly viral infection," said Superintendent of Police, Pabindra Kumar Nath.

Joint Director of Health Services Dr. Ramesh Chandra Dwivedy said that people living within the containment zones are kept under surveillance and those showing symptoms of COVID-19 are tested.

Social mobilization activities are being carried out with physical and social distancing norms among the populace in the buffer zones.

Mass gatherings and meetings in public and private places in containment as well as buffer zones are banned.

The containment measures have brought almost everything to a grinding halt, barring essential and health services.

Sanitization protocols are being vigorously followed to keep the containment areas free from the virus.

The order that came into force on Saturday evening shall continue to remain in force till such time the containment areas become completely free from novel coronavirus COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Dahal urged the people in the containment zones to adhere strictly to the guidelines, including physical distancing and use of face covers, and not to step out of their homes. "The management of COVID-19 is only possible when all due care is taken by everyone without being complacent about the situation," he said.

He said that the administration would provide essential items like food and vegetables to people inside the containment zones. "In case anyone faces any sort of difficulty, he or she may contact 24x7 helpline No.1077," he added.

Four patients were discharged from SMC&H after they tested negative on Sunday. Three are from Cachar and one from Hailakandi district. Salimuddin Kazi (22), Amir Hussain (22) and Daman Munda (18) are from Cachar district while Subrato Roy (21) is from Hailakandi district.