Odisha's Jagatsinghpur logs record Covid surge week after cyclone 'Yaas'

Jagatsinghpur Collector Sangram Keshari Mohapatra said in view of the spike in positive cases after Yaas, the administration has decided to conduct Covid tests of all the evacuees.
From May 25 to 27, the district was reporting around 150 to 200 new positive cases daily. (File photo| PTI)
From May 25 to 27, the district was reporting around 150 to 200 new positive cases daily. (File photo| PTI)

JAGATSINGHPUR: The district reported its highest single-day spike of 382 positive cases in the last 24 hours, triggering panic in several villages as people suspected Covid transmission at cyclone shelters to be the reason behind the record surge. 

During cyclone Yaas, which hit the State coast on May 26, around 22,000 people of Paradip, Kujang, Tirtol, Erasama, Balikuda and other coastal areas were evacuated to cyclone shelters. The cyclone spared Jagatsinghpur district and made landfall in Balasore’s Bahanaga. As water receded from low-lying areas, the evacuees returned to their homes after staying in the shelters for two days.

From May 25 to 27, the district was reporting around 150 to 200 new Covid cases daily. After the cyclone, the daily positive case count of Jagatsinghpur in the last four days went up to around 300 to 350. However, the sudden surge in infections has left many residents worried. Adding to the panic, four police personnel including an IIC of Jatadhari Marine police station, who were engaged to evacuate people during the cyclone, have tested Covid positive. 

Hari Dalai (70) of Dhinkia said, “We stayed in a shelter where none of the evacuees adhered to Covid guidelines. Besides, the shelter was not sanitised. Many people were unwilling to shift to the shelters fearing transmission of Covid-19. Now, the cases are soaring and our worst fears have come true.”

Sarpanch of Gadbishnupur Sujata Behera said it is true that the number of Covid cases has increased in rural areas after the cyclone. “I have declared Khatikolda village in my panchayat as a containment zone following detection of several cases,” she said. 

Sources said Sompur sarpanch has also declared two villages in the panchayat as containment zones after detection of new cases. Jagatsinghpur Collector Sangram Keshari Mohapatra said in view of the spike in positive cases after Yaas, the administration has decided to conduct Covid tests of all the evacuees who returned home from the cyclone shelters. After detection of the new cases, Jagatsinghpur’s active case tally stands at 17,583.

Worrying figures

From May 25 to 27, the district was reporting around 150 to 200 new positive cases daily

After the cyclone, the daily positive case count of Jagatsinghpur in the last four days went up to 300 to 350

During cyclone Yaas, 22,000 people of Paradip, Kujang Tirtol, Erasama, Balikuda were evacuated to cyclone shelters.

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