Reluctance of next of kin to undergo tests also causing spike: Official
Kolkata: There have been instances across the state more particularly in the city and its adjoining districts where the family members of the Covid infected patients and some others who came in close contact of the affected ones showed reluctance to undergo swab tests and also tried to dodge the health workers when they door-stepped.
This might have led to the rise of the infection in the urban areas, suspect a section of health officials at Swasthya Bhavan.
This revelation comes at a time when Kolkata has crossed a single day infection of 650 and North 24-Parganas 456. These two districts have so far seen the highest number of infections as the total cases registered in the city so far has gone up to 14,640 and North 24-Parganas 9,606.
A senior health official in the state said that some people in the containment zones of the city and also in the districts especially those whose family members got infected with the virus had shown an abject apathy to co-operate with the local authorities, civic bodies or health workers. In a few cases, the health workers who visited the households of the affected individuals had faced harassment and were cold-shouldered by the relatives who deliberately tried to avoid the health workers or the civic body representatives. In many cases the people representing various government agencies had to return after being harassed by the people as there is no specific rule so that the government can forcibly impose norms. The health workers tried to convince the people who had a Covid patient in the family but some remained obstinate.
"We have found people visiting public places without wearing masks whose family members or neighbours have been infected with Covid. As long as there is no awareness among a section of the people, how could the government machinery become effective. Various agencies of the government have been relentlessly campaigning for the containment but a section of the people is still showing reluctance," a senior health department official said.
