19 New Delhi-returnees quarantined in two centres in Lakhimpur district

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: A total of 19 people stranded in New Delhi during the lockdown arrived in Lakhimpur on Thursday. At first they arrived in Dibrugarh by train and then came to the district by bus. The District Health Department has sent them to quarantine after due scanning upon arrival in North Lakhimpur town. At present 15 persons out of them have been kept at GAK Lodge at Saboti while the rest four have been quarantined at Hotel Bibhan of North Lakhimpur town.

The Health Department sent a total of 42 swab samples, including the swab samples of these 19 persons, to the Regional Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, ICMR, RMRC of Dibrugarh district for COVID-19 test on Thursday. On the other hand, the result of the test of 51 swab samples, sent on Tuesday and 11 swab samples sent on Wednesday are still pending at the ICMR, Dibrugarh.

Notably, the District Health Department has continued the survey to detect Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) patients and Influenza Like Illness (ILI) patients in the district. A total of 57 ILI patients were detected in the district till Tuesday after scanning of a total of 1,124 patients while no SARI patients were detected. The swab samples of ILI patients were also sent to the ICMR for COVID-19 test.

On the other hand, the Dhakuakhana subdivisional administration has also initiated special steps to prevent any community transmission of the pandemic in the subdivision. As a part of such steps, the Subdivisional Health Office conducted health screening camps in the villages. According to BPM Satya Sahu, a total of 9 Community Surveillance Teams have initiated steps to screen the health of the people of a total 153 villages under the subdivision. Out of them, a total of 1,089 patients under 41 villages were screened till date. Moreover, the blood samples of 284 patients with exposure of fever were tested to know if they were infected with coronavirus. Swab samples of three persons have already been sent to the ICMR, Dibrugarh. However, no COVID-19 patient has been detected in the subdivision so far.

On the other hand, Subdivisional Officer-in charge of the Health Department, Dr. Lalit Saikia said that three health screening centres were set up in the subdivision to screen the health of the stranded people who come from other States to the subdivision. One of them has been set up in the border of Dhakuakhana-Machkhowa, while one has been set up in the border of Ghilamora-Naruwa Than and the other in the border of Ghilamora-Bordoibam. Four quarantine centres have been set up in the subdivision to quarantine such people.

The number of people stamped for home quarantine in Lakhimpur district went up to 7,372 on Thursday. The Health Department stamped 126 persons on Tuesday, 98 persons on Wednesday and 163 persons on Thursday for home quarantine. A total of 4,652 people of the district have already completed their home quarantine period of 28 days till date.

On the other hand, the district administration and the Health Department has prepared 17 quarantine centres across the district for the people stranded in other States during the lockdown and expected to be arrived in the district in the upcoming days. In this connection, arrangement is underway at North Lakhimpur Civil Hospital and the model hospitals of the district with additional beds. 

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