Home isolation ignored; Akola, Amravati, Yavatmal see community spread

NAGPUR: Amravati division deputy director of health services (DDHS) Dr Rajkumar Chauhan on Wednesday said the five districts of Amravati, Akola, Yavatmal, Washim and Buldhana was witnessing a second community spread mainly because of rampant breach of home isolation by asymptomatic positive patients. “There is no index patient in some pockets of Amravati,” said Chauhan, who is based in Akola, told TOI.
The observation came on a day when Amravati reported the most number of Covid deaths (6) in Vidarbha for the first time while Akola crossed 200 mark after over two months and Buldhana reported 199.The Amravati division totally reported 1,053 cases as compared to 727 in the six districts of Nagpur division.

Denying that it was a second wave, Dr Chauhan said, “It is more of second community spread. Entire families are testing positive now. Akola, Amravati and Yavatmal are reporting this trend.”
The rising cases led to local administration in Yavatmal, Wardha, Washim, Buldhana and Amravati issued guidelines to check superspreader events (marriages) and social gatherings. Schools were ordered to shut in Buldhana till February 28 while Washim and Wardha limited all gatherings to not more than 50. On Tuesday, the Nagpur city administration had issued similar norms.
Dr Chauhan said asymptomatic patients are staying at home only for three to four days and then venturing out. “The patient remains infectious for more than 8 days and is spreading Covid in the whole town. We can’t even stamp their hands for home quarantine now. Earlier, patients could be easily identified and alert citizens would ensure they stay at home,” he said.
Dr Chauhan, who toured the affected districts on Tuesday and Wednesday, said the administration had wanted to admit all patients to Covid care centres. “But there was stiff opposition from the asymptomatic patients,” he said.
Medical, doctors, nurses and other health staff too are testing positive in large numbers at Akola GMCH, and the district hospital and Panjabrao Deshmukh Medical College, both at Amravati. The situation at Nagpur GMCH too is worrisome as 40 medical students have so far tested positive.
Dr Chauhan said positivity has increased substantially while infectivity of the virus is under study.
Amravati civil surgeon Dr Shyamsundar Nikam said every “other patient with fever and loose motions are being found positive”. Dr Chauhan said diarrhoea is an associated symptom “but is not necessarily seen in all”.
Nikam said five random samples from Amravati have been send to NIV Pune for genome sequencing. “We have increased testing. Only one sample of a UK-returned woman was sent to Pune from Amravati. Her genome sequencing sample for UK strain tested negative,” he said.
Dr Chauhan said, “If containment zones are declared in Dastur Nagar, Rajapeth, Rukumini Nagar in Amravati district, the community spread may come in control. People have forgotten Covid. We did well till December-January. People are under impression that vaccine has come and there is not need to follow safety protocol.”
He added that this is the result of giving up mask, distancing and sanitisers.
More number of admissions of Covid patients are also taking place in the division.
Dr Chauhan also said that they have withdrawn permission of private labs to conduct antigen test (RAT). “RAT will be only at public labs as there is no one to monitor the private labs,” he said.
They have started five RTPCR testing centres in Amravati. “Testing camps would be held in schools too as they are closed till Feb 28. Our teams would spread out and survey people. Anyone having for cough, cold or fever would be asked to get tested. In Akola, we have tied up with IMA halls for testing people who may not wish to visit government hospitals,” he said.
Chauhan said he inspected Amravati hospitals and visited hotspots. “I visited a couple of pockets in Achalpur, some hospitals and conducted death audit. We have seen 60+ and comorbids are succumbing to Covid more. Also, late referral, later recovery is seen among others,” he said.