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Panchkula health dept turns to police to trace source of infection
Source of infection in 20 of the 432 cases so far still a mystery.
Unable to establish the source of infection in 20 Covid-19 cases in the district, the Panchkula health department had decided to approach the police for assistance.
“Police will check their mobile phone records to ascertain the locations they visited, as it’s important to track down the source,” said Dr Jasjeet Kaur, civil surgeon, Panchkula.
Of the total 432 cases so far, a significant number of the patients (176) have contracted the infection from positive patients, who are their contacts.
“We have tested 1,460 close contacts of positive patients and results of 101 returned positive. These include 75 ITBP and CRPF personnel,” Dr Kaur said.
Patients with travel history are another major group. “After the lockdown was lifted in June, 11,221 people returned from various places. We took samples of 3,185 and 87 tested positive,” the civil surgeon said.
MORE CLUSTERS POPPING UP
With Covid-19 cases surfacing steadily in multiple locations, the number of clusters is also increasing in Panchkula. The health authorities have determined at least 11 clusters with seven or more active cases.
“Normally, a cluster means an area with 15 or more cases. But in view of the high risk of infection, we are considering even seven cases to term an area a cluster,” Dr Kaur said.
She added, “Ashiyana in Sector 19 was declared a cluster after seven close contacts of a positive child were tested positive. Besides, the ITBP complex reported 43 cases and CRPF 32. Another 16 cases surfaced in Sector 9 alone.”
Apart from these, 21 cases have been reported in Barwala, 15 each in Kalka and Sector 19, 10 in Pinjore and eight in Sector 25. Sectors 7, 15 and 21 have confirmed seven cases each.
ACTION PLAN
To contain the spread of infection in these clusters, the authorities claim to be sealing the areas, and conducting extensive testing and sero surveys.
“We are doing extensive testing by collecting samples of a large number of contacts. Sero survey is being conducted in government offices due to multiple instances of their employees testing positive,” Dr Kaur said.
The sero survey was started last week in government institutes and three slums – Abheypur, Rajeev Colony and Indira Colony.
The survey helps map the spread of infection to devise an appropriate action plan.
“Out of the 600 samples taken in the past week, 25 tested positive,” Dr Kaur said.
