Amidst several steps and precautions being taken by the Government over the fear of community transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Odisha, 2,856 persons, who returned to the State during last fortnight, have reportedly gone missing.
The disturbing fact has come to the fore after the Health and Family Welfare Department communicated to the district Collectors expressing its concern over the returnees, who are yet to be traced.
According to a surveillance team report, the 2,856 persons have not registered themselves on the COVID-19 website of State Government, out of which 400 are of Bhubaneswar, 450 are of Khordha, 650 of Ganjam and 350 residents of Cuttack district.
Health Secretary Nikunja Bihari Dhal has asked the Collectors and Commissioners of Municipal Corporations to initiate an operation to quarantine the persons who are coming in contact with others without updating their details on the COVID-19 website and concealing their travel histories.
Dhal has directed the district heads to abide by three major instructions to prevent spread of the virus. First, the persons returning from other States and abroad will be kept in home quarantine without delay. Secondly, the persons infected with COVID-19 will be quarantined and others will be identified through contact tracing exercise.
Thirdly, the persons with contact histories with the infected persons will be put under home quarantine even if COVID-19 symptoms are not found with them.
