Kanpur shelter home Covid-19 tally touches 57

KANPUR: Twenty-four more inmates of government shelter home in the city's Swarup nagar tested positive for coronavirus, taking its Covid tally to 57 since June 17. "After 33 inmates tested positive on June 17, 24 more have been found infected in the past couple of days. They have all been sent to Covid hospital for treatment," district magistrate Brahmadeo Ram Tiwari.
Meanwhile, reacting to reports of two inmates being found pregnant, divisional commissioner Sudhir M Bobde and DM Tiwari said that there were seven pregnant girls, out of five were found positive and two negative.They also clarified that all seven were pregnant at the time of admission.
The DM said these girls had come from Agra, Kannauj, Firozabad, Etah and Kanpur nagar on the directions of Child Welfare Committees of respective districts. They all were allegedly victims of sexual assault and their cases are being pursued under POCSO Act.
When asked about one girl being found infected with HIV and another with Hepatitis C, the DM said a report has been sought from shelter home authorities in this regard.
Out of 33 inmates found positive on June 17, 18 belonged to women's protection home and 15 to girls' protection home. All 24 found infected thereafter are for the minors' home.
When the GSV Medical College released the first test report on June 17, it was presumed that a woman was found infected in random testing and that she must be the source of infection for others. The police had barricaded the protection home and stopped entry and exit of people.
Uttar Pradesh State Women Commission had also taken note of the development and expressed grave concern on Thursday and directed district officials to sanitize the protection home and protect other girls from infection.
UP State Women Commission member Poonam Kapoor sought a report from the district probation officer and directed him to protect the remaining inmates.
She had asked the probation officer to direct the subordinate staff to maintain sanitation and change bedsheets daily.
Meanwhile, former Lok Sabha MP and vice president of Janwadi Mahila Samiti Shubhashini Ali demanded a fair inquiry and strict action against the guilty in the case of inmates' pregnancy.