JEYPORE/KORAPUT: Koraput district reported its biggest single-day spike of 80 Covid-19 cases on Friday.Of the new cases, 17 were in quarantine while 63 are local contacts. Three health workers and five police personnel have also been infected. Jeypore town reported the highest 30 cases followed by Koraput municipality (16), Jeypore block (7), Sunabeda (5) and Narayanpatana (4). While Borrigumma, Koraput block and Pottangi reported three cases each, two each were found in Bandhugaon, Boipariguda and Laxmipur. Kotpad, Lamataput and Nandapur reported one case each.
In view of the surge in positive cases, the administration enforced two-day shutdown in the district on the day.Meanwhile, all OPDs of SLN Medical College and Hospital, Koraput were closed after detection of two positive cases on its premises on Thursday. The MCH authorities convened a meeting with the district Collector on the day and declared the facility closed.
It was decided that only emergency cases will be treated at the MCH. Only one attendant would be allowed for each emergency patient in the hospital.Besides, general and paediatric causality, isolation ward and labour room will function as usual. The MCH staff have been strictly directed not to leave their place of duty.Police have been deployed on the MCH campus to enforce shutdown guidelines strictly.Sources said nearly 2,000 patients of Jeypore, Koraput, Sunabeda, Kotpad, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri have visited the MCH for treatment in the last few days.
On the other hand, the footfall of patients at Jeypore district headquarters hospital (DHH) has decreased drastically after seven health staff tested positive. The patient turnout at the OPD has been below 100 since the last couple of days. Earlier, more than 500 patients used to visit the OPD daily.Sources said the patients have shifted to tele-medicine services and are now availing treatment by phone.