Health Activists and Anganwadi workers have tested positive for COVID-19

Kendrapara:31/5/20: As many as six Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), Anganwadi workers, sanitary staff and volunteers engaged in two temporary medical camps in Kendrapara district have tested positive for COVID-19.

Informing the development, Kendrapara Collector Samarth Verma said that a total of 18 persons including Asha, Anganwadi, some volunteers, and sanitary staff have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours in the district. Out of the total 18 new COVID-19 cases, 12 are returnees from Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal, and Karnataka and all of them were in quarantine center. They have been shifted to Sum Hospital in the district, Verma said.

“The swabs of six staff of two TMCs- Marshaghai and Penthapal were collected and they have tested positive for COVID-19. All the positive staff including Anganwadi worker, ASHA and volunteers were engaged in both the TMCs,” said Verma

Verma further informed that already containment zones have been declared and the first round of active surveillance and individual house checking has been completed. The areas will be de-contained if no symptomatic cases were be found in second round surveillance.

“Already training was provided to health workers and asked to wear personal protective equipment. However, all the staff is asymptomatic and we can expect there will be no further infection,” Verma added.

With the detection of 18 new COVID-19 positive cases, the tally in Kendrapara district has reached 89.