Bidhannagar to begin collection of swab samples
Kolkata: Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started collecting swab samples for COVID-19 test. There has been a drop in the number of containment zones in BMC area in the past few days.
According to sources, in the past two days swab samples of 58 persons residing at ward number 6 have been sent for testing. BMC authority has chosen ward number 6 to start with as this area around a private hospital was most vulnerable. Earlier, several nurses and paramedics of the said private hospital were found COVID positive and the hospital was closed after a dialysis patient tested positive for COVID-19.
Earlier BMC authority had informed that swab samples will be collected on the basis of the suggestion by the doctor of BMC's hospital after scrutinising the report submitted by the Health workers. In the past two weeks, the data was scrutinised and people who had come close to a COVID patient or lives close to the COVID patient's house have been listed.
Member Mayor in Council, Health of BMC, Pranay Ray on Saturday said, "We are doing this as a precautionary measure. Several samples have already been sent for testing. Reports will come in a few days. Further course of action will be decided based on the reports." Ray also informed that the collection of swab samples from ward 35 will start from next week. A few days ago, a resident of Nabapally in ward number 35 died at a private hospital in Lake Town. She was admitted to the hospital for some other ailment. Despite her swab sample was sent for COVID test, the hospital authority allegedly handed over the woman's body to her family members before the report arrived on Monday. After cremating the women's body, her family members came to know that she was COVID positive.
Later, local councilor Joydeb Naskar took initiative and convinced BMC authority to conduct a number of tests among the residents in that area. As per the data of the state government till May 14, the figure of containment zones stands at 18 from 21. Presently parts of CD, DB, HA, GC blocks along with few areas in Duttabad and Basanti Devi Colony in Salt Lake have been marked as containment zones.
