Baripada: As many as 16 members of the Khadia tribal community hailing from villages around the buffer area of Similipal Sanctuary in Mayurbhanj district have tested positive for COVID-19 Wednesday.
Comprising of doctors and Asha workers, a rapid response team (RRT) immediately visited the tribal villages and checked on the health conditions of the tribals in the villages around. The RRT members have taken readings of the body temperature and accordingly distributed medicines, an official of the RRT stated.
According to sources, Khadia tribals residing in Lulung, Kakarapani, Kochilaghati, Tarajodi and Godipokhari villages under Shyamakhunta block located in the buffer area have been chiefly visiting Rangamatia community health centre (CHC) for the last few days.
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A couple of days ago, a member of the Khadia community of Lalpani village had earlier tested positive for COVID-19. Later, a medical team had visited the village and collected swab samples which were sent for RT-PCR testing. Meanwhile, 16 of them have tested Covid positive after their reports came in, the official source added.
Owing to lack of adequate awareness among the tribals, many have been getting infected from the deadly virus with no precautions being taken to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“Although COVID-19 had not reached out to tribals during the first wave, they are being contracted in large numbers during the second wave,” a doctor of RRT Uttam Dash said.
Notably, the infected Khadia community members have been put in quarantine at a nearby facility. The tribals are being infected by the virus due to exposure while going out in search of work or even for buying daily essentials in the local markets.
PNN