West Bengal govt comes out with containment strategies for COVID-19 'high-risk' spots

The West Bengal health department has unveiled a series of containment strategies for COVID-19 "high-risk spots" in the state, without naming them. The multipronged strategies will help break the chain of virus transmission, the order issued by the department on Monday night said.

"An analysis of the available data reveals that some geographical areas in the state show a higher number of COVID-19 infected persons. As a significant number of these cases can be traced to a few pockets, settlements and families, it calls for heightened vigilance and preventive steps," the department stated. The order also emphasised on the need for early detection of cases by tracing and tracking primary and secondary contacts of those that have contracted the disease.

"Aggressive listing, tracing and tracking of all primary and secondary contacts will be undertaken with utmost promptness. Asymptomatic, low-risk and secondary contacts will be placed under home quarantine and thereafter closely monitored for symptoms," it said. For urban areas, the department noted, teams constituted for dengue surveillance may be roped in for this purpose, too, following their orientation in this regard.

"They (teams for dengue surveillance) have to be on the lookout for persons with symptoms of influenza, including fever, sore throat, cough and runny nose or symptoms respiratory distress, in any form," it stated, adding that surveillance will be enhanced with the help of municipal health staffers and ASHA workers. Personnel deployed for house-to-house survey will have to wear masks, gloves and any other protective gear deemed fit by authorities, depending upon the perceived threat of exposure, the department explained.

"Households, hospital wards and localities will be disinfected hypochlorite solution with the help of localbodies," it added. West Bengal has reported 147 COVID-19 cases so far, according to the state government. Of them seven have succumbed to the disease.

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