Berhampur: Ganjam district, which was a ‘green zone’ till Saturday, reported its first two COVID-19 cases Sunday after the swab test reports of two Surat returnees tested positive.
With this, the Surat returnees have become a cause of concern for Ganjam administration quite like West Bengal returnees have for Jajpur district.
According to the district administration, 217 people stuck in Surat town of Gujarat reached Ganjam district in four buses three days ago.
After completion of all necessary protocols, they were taken to Dharakote and Sheragada quarantine centres. Two teams from the district headquarters hospital (DHH) visited the centres there to collect swab samples of the Surat returnees. The samples were collected and sent to Regional Medical Research Centre in Bhubaneswar for COVID testing.
Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Dr Uma Mishra Sunday informed that two of the samples returned positive.
Meanwhile, the district administration is leaving nothing to chances to contain further spread.
Locals, meanwhile, fear that the number might rise exponentially with thousands of migrant workers expected to reach the district in coming days. The situation may go out of control if not handled properly, they apprehended.
PNN