Lauded for ‘Bhilwara Model’, Rajasthan city records 15 Covid-19 cases in a day
The surge in cases is result of a wedding organised by a city resident where more than 50 guests were invited. He has been slapped with a fine of Rs 6.26 lakh.
Bhilwara in Rajasthan is known for its ruthless containment to check the spread of the coronavirus disease. The Rajasthan government had even said that Bhilwara Model can be tweaked to contain the spread of the disease in other hotspots.
But now, the city is battling a surge in infection after a family invited more than 50 guests in a marriage function despite the restrictions in place. The function was organised by Ghisulal Rathi, a resident of Bhadada Mohalla, for his son’s marriage on June 13.
After the event, 15 guests tested positive for Covid-19 while one died of the disease, District Collector Rajendra Bhatt said. A case was registered against Rathi in this regard on June 22, he added.
“The state government incurred a loss of Rs 6,26,600 for arranging isolation and quarantine facility, testing, food, ambulance for these guests. To recover the said amount, the family has been asked to deposit the money in the CM Relief Fund,” said Bhatt.
Bhilwara was among the 10 coronavirus disease (Covid-19) hotspots in the country, but the ruthless containment model helped it check the spread of the diease. The state had even received praise from cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba for successfully implementing the model.
The Bhilwara model of containment worked in phases. The first task was to isolate the district, second was screening strategy in city and rural areas and third was quarantine and isolation wards, followed by monitoring mechanism for rural areas, according to government officials.
Discussing the success of the model, Rajasthan’s additional chief secretary of medical and health department Rohit Kumar Singh had told Hindustan Times in April, “The Bhilwara model is a typical containment strategy. It starts with lockdown, and lockdown means lockdown - no movement, no exemptions. Of course, you have to make arrangements for the essentials.”
Rajasthan has so far reported 16,944 Covid-19 positive cases, according to the Union ministry of health.