Ghaziabad police starts surveillance unit for verifying movements, contacts of Covid-19 patients

The health department, aided by the police, have started tracking down people who may have contracted Covid-19, using their call records, efforts which so far led

The health department, aided by the police, have started tracking down people who may have contracted Covid-19, using their call records, efforts which so far led to 17 people from a Noida firm and more than 15 who attended religious congregations across the country being traced.

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No new cases of the contagious disease were reported on Wednesday.

Rajneesh Dube, UP additional chief secretary (medical education), had held a review meeting with Ghaziabad officials on Tuesday and had stressed on the need to use electronic surveillance to find suspected patients, with the help of their call records.

Under the electronic surveillance measures, the police obtain CDRs of suspects, and can track their contacts and locations with the help of data obtained from cellular operators.

Prakash Kumar, Ghaziabad superintendent of police (crime), was appointed as nodal officer of the district medical surveillance office (DMSO) on Wednesday.

“We are cross verifying disclosures of patients using electronic surveillance, because many are disclosing incorrect information about their movement in questionnaires. Similarly, a Covid-19 suspect’s contacts can also be traced using their call detail records,” Kumar said.

“Several people have not made disclosures about their travel history, and whether they came in contact with any Covid-19-positive persons. These steps are important to stop the spread of the coronavirus,” he said.

Ghaziabad district has so far recorded eight positive cases of Covid-19, two of whom have been discharged. Two of the active cases are of a couple who were tested positive by a private laboratory. Both are currently under isolation.

“After surveillance, we received a list from the Ghaziabad police of 19 other employees of Noida-based firm Ceasefire who are residents of Ghaziabad. Five of the 19 are not in Ghaziabad, while three of them have already been declared negative. Two of them are admitted in Noida hospitals, and the rest have been tracked,” said Dr NK Gupta, chief medical officer.

So far, 24 persons, employed or indirectly linked with the fire safety solutions firm have tested positive for the virus in Gautam Budh Nagar district alone. These 24 include 13 employees and 11 family members. The firm’s office was sealed on Tuesday.

“All Ceasefire employees have now been located. We have informed the respective police and administration officials details of the whereabouts of the other five employees,” he added.

Health department officials said two employees of the company, a 30-year-man and a 37-year-woman, are in isolation in MMG Hospital. They have passed on the infection to two more persons who are being treated in Ghaziabad.

The woman’s husband also tested positive for the disease on March 28. The residents of Savior Park high-rise came in contact with about 93 persons in their society. All 93 are under quarantine and being monitored by the health department.

The second employee from the Noida-based company, the 30-year-old man, came in touch with a man from Ghaziabad’s Duhai area who had contracted the disease.

On Wednesday, Kalanidhi Naithani, senior superintendent of police, Ghaziabad also called upon residents to inform police of potential patients or their contacts so that protocol may be initiated.

“Any Covid-19 patient, and people who are their contacts, must inform the police or health department. Anybody who is aware of such information should also approach authorities. Anyone who has travel history in March must also disclose such information. In case of any laxity, legal action will be initiated,” he added.