JAGATSINGHPUR: Even as hundreds of migrants are returning to Jagatsinghpur district since last five days, the administration has stopped screening all the returnees before sending them to quarantine centres and collecting their swab samples for test.
On an average, only 120 persons are being screened and their samples collected every day although at least 450 migrant labourers are returning daily.
Administrative officials claimed that the State Government has directed them to send only 120 to 130 samples every day. The district is currently in orange zone with five active cases.
Arrival of migrants in the district began on May 3 and initially, only 20 to 30 people returned. However, the number rose to hundreds from May 9.
On the day, 115 migrants returned and on May 10, 125 arrived. While the number of returnees was 691 on May 11, 284 on May 12, as many as 350 migrants reached Jagatsinghpur on Wednesday.
A nodal officer informed that when the migrants had started returning, the administration was screening everyone before quarantining them.
“Till last week, every returnee irrespective of being symptomatic or asymptomatic, was screened and tested for Covid-19. But, the situation is not the same now. As per the district administration orders, we are not collecting swab samples of every one”, he said. In the last 10 days, only 1246 samples have been sent for test of which, five were found positive.
Chief District Medical Officer, Bijay Panda said since the Government’s focus is now on hotspots, it has directed Jagastinghpur administration to send only 120 to 130 samples for testing every day.
“We can collect 200 samples daily and sent for test but we have to restrict the number due to Government guideline”, he added.
On the other hand, instances of quarantine guidelines violations are being reported from various temporary COVID care centres.
Family members of returnees are visiting these centres to supply food and clothes to them. However, sarpanchs are yet to take corrective measures.