Returnee migrants cause surge in Corona cases; more than 200 test positive so far

Kolkata: More than 200 migrant workers who have recently returned to various districts from other states tested positive for the COVID-19 triggering a major cause of concern for the state Health department.

With larger number of migrant labourers coming to the state, apprehensions are now doing the rounds. The total number of affected labourers may go up, fears the Health department.

According to a senior health official, in the past 24 hours, around 8 migrant labourers who have returned to East Burdwan from different states tested positive. They were taken to a COVID designated hospital in Durgapur. This has spread a tension among the local residents. The victims are residents of Kalna, Memari, Raina and Bhatar.

Around 4 persons who have returned to Deganga in North 24-Parganas tested positive. All of them have been taken to a COVID hospital while their family members were shifted to quarantine centre. They all went to Maharashtra as sewing labourers. They had undergone screening at Barasat stadium after their return. Around 7 migrant labourers who have returned to Bongaon tested positive for the virus in the past 24 hours. Six out of seven are the residents of gaighata while one is from Bagdah. They had undergone swab tests at Bongaon sub-divisional hospital on May 18. All the affected persons have been admitted to a COVID hospital in Rajarhat.

Around 12 persons who have recently returned to Bankura tested positive for the COVID-19. The incident has triggered a fear among the local residents. It may be mentioned that since the

beginning the Bankura had been demarcated as a green zone.

The health department officials suspect that in some places the migrant labourers after their return home were not following home quarantine norms. This has contributed to the rise in the number of affected victims in the recent past. It was learnt that more than 76 people tested positive for Covid-19 in rural areas of Howrah district in the past few days. In case of Malda the number is around 67; 46 in Hooghly district and 30 in Uttar Dinajpur.

Senior health officials are apprehending that more number of migrant labourers may test positive as more trains

are entering the state carrying the labourers from other states.

They stressed upon the importance of following health guidelines to check the transmission of the virus.