Berhampur: As the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to increase in the district, the situation in Ganjam is proving to be worrisome.
For this the Ganjam district administration has adopted a new strategy to contain the spread of the disease in the district.
The Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) in collaboration with the Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) authorities has started serological surveillance in Berhampur city.
Sources said that five teams involving the staff of RMRC and BeMC have been formed by the district administration. The teams have started the survey at 10 high-risk zones in the city.
Following the direction of the state government, the teams will collect blood samples of 2,500 residents of the city. Out of the 2,500 residents, 1,000 residents will be from 10-high risk zone and 1,500 will be from randomly selected areas.
RMRC scientist Jaisen Khatri said, “After Bhubaneswar, the sero-survey is now being carried out in Berhampur. The serological surveillance will help us sense the immunity status in the community level against COVID-19. This will also help in assessing the level of exposure to coronavirus and enable us to know when the peak of the disease will come.”
A member of a medical team that is conducting the survey at Ward No. 6 of Berhampur city said that the aim of the serological survey is to check for antibodies in the blood samples and figure out the extent of the spread of the infection.
“After collection of the bloods samples, they will be sent to RMRC for test,” said the member.
Many people have volunteered and reached the camps across the city for the sero survey, according to reports.
The survey will be carried out again after a gap of one month during which 2,500 more blood samples would be collected.
With 331 fresh COVID-19 cases detected in Ganjam district Monday, the total tally in the district reached 11,323. On the other hand, 3,686 persons are undergoing treatment at different COVID-19 hospitals in the district while 7,524 patients have recovered from the disease. While 106 persons in the district succumbed to COVID-19, seven died due to other illnesses.
PNN