Jharkhand: Covid report may be mandatory for flyers from Maha, Kerala

Ranchi/Jamshedpur: Amid rising cases of Covid-19 in various parts of the country, state health officials have asked the disaster management department to make a negative Covid report mandatory for people coming from Maharashtra and Kerala and test travelers at all entry points of the state. Meanwhile, East Singhbhum district has also increased surveillance and mandatory for passengers coming by train from Maharashtra, New Delhi and Gujarat to the Tatanagar station to get tested for Covid on arrival.

In a letter to disaster management department on Tuesday evening, state health secretary K K Soan urged the department secretary to issue necessary directives for necessary action as per rules. The letter said the request was was made to ensure that the spike in Covid cases in these states, particularly Maharashtra and Kerala, does not lead to a spurt in infections in Jharkhand.

Talking to TOI, state head of Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) Dr Praveen Karn said: “The number of cases in Kerala this week jumped by 81% compared to last week and the positivity rate has shot up to 9%. We have also decided to strengthen the surveillance of people returning from these areas so that we can continue to test, trace and treat any infected person.”

The state government has already issued directions to all civil surgeons and district authorities to ramp up testing at all entry points. Birsa Munda International Airport and railway stations have also been equipped to test passengers. The state surveillance unit has also directed its district units to keep an eye on people returning from vulnerable states.

Meanwhile, East Singhbhum has made it mandatory for passengers coming by train from Maharashtra, New Delhi and Gujarat to the Tatanagar station to get tested for Covid on arrival. The passengers will also have to remain in home quarantine till the arrival of their test reports.

East Singbhum district additional chief medical officer Dr Sahir Pall said a six-member team of health workers was deployed at the station on Tuesday and 180 samples were collected for RT-PCR tests until Wednesday evening.

RPF personnel have also been attached to the health team to ensure compliance of the arriving passengers. "We have made sure that people at the ticket counters at the station comply with social distancing norms and for this security personnel in adequate number are deployed," said senior divisional commercial manager Manish Kumar Pathak.

Notably, the district administration has also increased surveillance at public places to ensure people comply with distancing and masking norms. The district, which has reported 356 Covid deaths (the highest in the state), is not taking any chance even though the daily count of new cases have reduced.

Last week, 10 members of a Sakchi-based family were tested positive of the virus after an octogenarian died after getting infected. The deceased octogenarian was tested Covid positive, but had recovered prior to his death, officials said.

As per the state government bulletin issued on Tuesday night, the district has reported 18,073 coronavirus cases, of which 61 are active and 18,490 have recovered. The health department has tested 5,59,959 swab samples through various methods so far.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA)’s Jamshedpur Chapter secretary, Mrityunjay Kumar said the rise in the Covid cases in Maharashtra and elsewhere is primarily because of laxity and lack of appropriate behavior among the masses. "Cases have come down substantially, but the pandemic is not over yet. The district administration has done the right thing by collecting samples of people disembarking at Tatanagar station," he said.