Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhary Thursday revealed the identity of the fifth COVID-19 positive man from Bhubaneswar and announced several measures to contain the spread of the disease in the city.
The man doesn’t have any national or international travel history, Chaudhary said. The COVID-19 positive man has been identified as Pradipto Kumar Dalabehera – a resident of plot No 37 in Unit -7 under Ward No 46 of Surya Nagar.
The BMC commissioner said that his name is being revealed to safeguard the public who have come in contact with him since March 1, 2020.
The 5th Positive Case of #Covid19
Mr. Pradipta Ku DalabeheraPlot no: 37, Unit 07, Ward No 46
Surya Nagar, Bhubaneswar.Public who have come in contact with him since 1st March, 2020 shall keep themselves to home quarantine forthwith for 14 days from the date of contact. pic.twitter.com/hh92dU4PoX
— I & PR Department, Odisha (@IPR_Odisha) April 2, 2020
The city administration has urged the public who have been In contact with him shall keep themselves to home quarantine forthwith for 14 days from the date of contact and inform/ register about such quarantine in the helpline number 104.
“No member of the public shall indulge In commission or omission of any act of social discrimination directly or indirectly against Sri Dalabehera and his family members. Any violation of the same shall be punishable under sectors 188 IPC and the relevant provision of Epidemic Disease 1897,” a notification issued by BMC said.
As this is the first case identified without any travel history, health experts feared that the chances of community transmission in the state capital may increase. Community transmission is usually the stage when the source of infection for the spread of a disease is unknown or a link in terms of contacts between patients and other people.
Moreover, to contain the spread of the infection, the civic authority has also notified the entire Surya Nagar area as ‘restricted’ and all residents will be quarantined for a couple of weeks, sources at the BMC said.
“All the entry and exit points to the area will be blocked through barricading. The areas that will be restricted are: Gopbandhu Square to LIC Square; LIC Square to Ganga Nagar Square; Ganga Nagar Square to Siripur Chak and Siripur Chak to Gopbandhu Square. All issues related to sanitation, health or supply of essentials will be provided by identified persons of the BMC. Health teams will go to every household and through checklist method all issues will be looked into,” Chaudhary informed.