62 per cent urban areas in Ganjam affected

The coastal district, which had reported zero case until early May, now accounts for 7,634 cases and 75 deaths.
Body of a Covid victim being taken for cremation in Ganjam(File Photo)
Body of a Covid victim being taken for cremation in Ganjam(File Photo)

BHUBANESWAR: Urban Ganjam is a bigger challenge for the State Government’s coronavirus battle as a whopping 62 per cent wards in the 18 civic bodies are affected by the outbreak.On the contrary, the geo-spatial monitoring of Covid-19 area reveals that coronavirus infection spread is limited to just about 14 per cent (pc) villages.Ganjam has one municipal corporation and one municipality besides 16 NACs.

All 40 wards of Berhampur Municipal Corporation are designated as Red zones while 62 pc of the total 280 wards have been affected. The intense spread of the outbreak can be gauged from the fact that 91 pc wards (10 out of 11) in both Digapahandi and Sorada and 87 pc (13 out of 15 wards) in Bhanjanagar NAC have reported cases.

Ganjam now contributes around a third of the total confirmed cases of the State. The coastal district, which had reported zero case until early May, now accounts for 7,634 cases and 75 deaths.

The analysis shows that 442 out of 3,195 villages are in Red zones. Chhatrapur block has maximum 44 pc villages (34 of the total 78) affected. This could make containment plans for the administration easier since 86 pc villages are in Green zone. Kabisuryanagar, Aska, Bellaguntha, Hinjilicut and Kukudakhandi are the other affected blocks.

Collector Vijay Amrut Kulange said, the number of positive cases is rising in view of extensive door-to-door surveillance and intensified screening. “There is nothing to worry and panic. The numbers will definitely drop once all the symptomatic persons are screened and treated. Many Red zones have been declared Green after recovery of positive cases. This has been possible due to institutional quarantine and successful management of temporary medical camps,” he said.

In view of the rapid surge, health infrastructure has been augmented. While Tata Covid hospital with 220 beds and 50 ventilators are in operation, Covid care centres set up in the district have 4,000 beds of which 250 have oxygen facility. Additional 500 beds with such facilities will be ready in next seven days, he said.

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