Over 6,000 people return to Chikkaballapur district, to be quarantined

Deputy commissioner Y S Patil on Friday said that as many as 6,200 people from different states, including 5,000 from Maharastra and 2,348 from Goa had returned to the district.

“About 25,000 people from various districts in the state have returned to the district,” he said.

The deputy commissioner said that those from Goa would be quarantined at homes, while those from other districts would be quarantined at institutions.

“All facilities would be provided from the district administration to those under quarantine at institutions. Such people have been banned from visiting houses and venturing outside. People should immediately inform the district administration if such people venture outside the quarantine centres,” he said.

Patil said that all those coming from other districts and states might not be carrying the novel coronavirus.

“They migrated to other districts and states seeking jobs. They are being quarantined for 14 days and the public should cooperate with the district administration,” he said.

He requested people willing to leave the district for their native places in other districts and states to register their names on Seva Sindhu website. Public should immediately inform the district administration about the visits of people from other states and districts.

“The district administration will initiate stringent action against people misusing the Seva Sindu app to issue passes,” Patil warned.

TrueNat machines received

Patil said that the district hospital would be able to increase the number of tests to determine COVID-19 as the hospital had received two new TrueNAT machines.

“The CB Nat laboratory is functioning in the district hospital to test throat swabs. The laboratory has received two new TrueNat machines which will help increase the number of tests,” he said.

Patil clarified that the testing process would start in a couple of days. The district would not send throat swabs to laboratories in Bengaluru and Kalaburagi. About 50 throat swabs could be tested daily.

Health and family welfare officer Dr H P Manchegowda said that the tests using the new machines would be conducted at Maheshwari Institute of Management and Science (MIMS). High tech tools have been fixed to tests throats swabs and blood samples. Biological safety measures have been taken to destroy boxes used to collect the throat swabs.

“The select staff from the MIMS have been trained at Nimhans, Bengaluru. They were thoroughly tested if they properly understood and followed procedures during the training,” he said.

Necessary code and password had been received from the ICMR to use the machines. If all primary tests indicated presence of novel coronavirus, then such samples would be sent to the RTPCR laboratories for accuracy, said in-charge district surgeon Dr Ramesh said.