Still unexplained
The hunt for the origins of Covid-19 has for the past four years been a tangled web of politics, power struggles, and international finger-pointing.
The health department in South Dinajpur district has decided to begin random collection of throat swab samples from tomorrow in panchayats affected by Covid-19.
Samples will be collected through 10 kiosks at different hospitals, including the Subdivision and District hospital, officials said.
“As the rate of infection in the district is still under control and all the Covid-positive people are returnees from other states, the health department is trying to stop the virus from spreading among the people here,” a health official said today.
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The number of Covid cases is, on the other hand, is rising, while three health staff in the village level in Kushmandi block were tested positive in the past few days.
“The health department of South Dinajpur is going to start random tests in affected panchayats of the district. The department will collect 25 samples every day from all kiosks functioning in rural hospitals in the district. At present, the health department is trying to collect 250+ samples every day in the district. The Malda Medical College lab has fixed a quota of 300 samples for South Dinajpur per day,” one health official said.
Meanwhile, 23 new Covid cases were detected yesterday, three of whom are health staff from the Kushmandi block. The total number of Covid19 cases has now gone up to 108 in the district. However, 70 of them have already been discharged from the Covid hospital after they were cured, sources said.
“Not only in panchayat areas, we will collect samples in municipality areas too. At first, we will request all those who have had direct contact with people like vendors, toto drivers and vegetables sellers. From 23 of June, we will start random collection in affected areas and panchayats,” said the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr Sukumar Dey
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