10 villages of Ganjam district declared as containment zones

Ten villages in Odishas Ganjam district were on Sunday declared as containment zones after 15 people engaged in institutional quarantine centres tested positive for COVID-19, a senior official said. The persons who tested positive were engaged in different TMCs (temporary medical centres), also known as quarantine centres, said Ganjam district collector Vijaya Amruta Kulange.

"These villages have been declared as containment zones for monitoring of COVID-19 related preventive measures", he said. While 12 people from villages under Badapalli panchayat tested positive, three persons from areas under Aitipur panchayat were detected with novel coronavirus, he said.

Ghodapada, Siallipata, Kurianpur, Gundripati, Badapalli, Sanabala, Nuapalli, Chhakasingh and Devijhara villages are in Badapalli panchayat, while Biripur is under Aitipur panchayat, he said. As many as 12 villages adjoining Biripur have also been declared as a buffer zone in order to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

Two days ago, the district administration had declared two panchayats - Ch. Tikarapada and Rumagada under Digapahandi and Polasara blocks respectively, as containment zones following the detection of several COVID-19 positive cases. While 13 positive cases were reported from Ch.Tikarapada, four cases were detected in Rumagada panchayat area, officials said.

Ganjam district tops the list of COVID-19 cases in the state at 598, the health department said. The death toll due to novel coronavirus has also shot up to four in the district.