With hundreds of cases of Covid reported throughout the city, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation has highlighted that as of today, wards in areas under police stations of Phoolbagan, West Port, South Port and Sarsuna have registered a considerable spurt in cases compared to other wards while of late, the civic body is also witnessing a crunch in carrying out RT PCR tests at some of its health centres.

The third wave of Covid has once again hit the city hard with a large number of cases mushrooming all over and increasing in leaps and bounds. The KMC has begun setting up both containment/micro containment zones to identify locations with more than four to five Covid cases.

As per the containment list on 11 January 2022, there are about 29 such zones that have been set up within the KMC area. Ward 31 in Borough III is witnessing a spurt in cases. Most micro containment zones under Phoolbagan police station have been set up in apartments located in Narkeldanga Main Road, Maniktala Main Road, Canal Circular Road and Motilal Basak Lane. There are about 23 flats in Astitva Apartment in Motilal Basak Lane where residents have contracted Covid. All three towers in the residential complex have registered Covid cases.

In Sarsuna, in ward 127, several cases have surfaced in Diamond City West residential complex. Under West Port police station, most containment zones have been set up in Garden Reach South Eastern Railway Colony in ward 80. Micro containment zone has been set up at the address CISF Camp Ramnagar, Kolkata Brook Line.

Containment zones have also been set up in wards 32, 69,70, 79, 81, 87, 92, 98 , 99, 118. The rule for the containment zones states that the dwelling unit / flat / house which have Covid positive person shall have the restriction on ingress/egress limited only to bare essentials. Local Borough and police officials are to sensitise and monitor this. Housing society / RWA are requested to ensure compliance and cooperate with local administration while everyone is to follow the Covid protocol which makes masks mandatory. All premises will continue to be contained till seven days from the last reported case.

Meanwhile, reports have surfaced from some of the boroughs of the KMC regarding inadequate capacity to conduct RT-PCR tests. Borough III has witnessed such a crunch as residents complained that the health centre has notified it will only take samples for 13 persons per day. A KMC health official said that there are many who are coming to get a test done when there are no symptoms. The instructions are clear that only people who are symptomatic should get a test done since the infrastructure for tests is still limited. The KMC health centres have also begun administering booster doses. The Mayor’s Clinic in Chetla is one such which is receiving persons queueing up for booster doses.