Jharkhand govt asks district authorities to maintain strict vigil on COVID-19 situation

Free COVID-19 medicine kit for the treatment of patients living in home isolation should be ensured, Singh said in a letter to the deputy commissioners.The cumulative death toll in the state till Thursday stood at 5,153 with four fatalities reported during the day.

Amid surging COVD-19 cases in Jharkhand, the state government has directed deputy commissioners to keep a strict vigil on the situation, ensure proper treatment of the affected people, besides monitoring the condition of patients undergoing home isolation, a top official said on Friday. The state witnessed 3,704 fresh COVID-19 cases on Thursday, up from 3,553 infections reported the previous day, pushing the caseload to 3,65,222. Additional Chief Secretary, Arun Kumar Singh, who is in charge of the Health and Medical Education Department, said that from the third week of December 2021, a steady increase in the number of coronavirus infections is being witnessed in the state, which is a matter of concern and the health machinery is gearing up to contain the spread.

''We have directed the deputy commissioners to keep a strict vigil on the situation and take all possible steps to contain the spread of the contagion,'' Singh told PTI.

Instructions have been issued to maintain contact with patients, over the phone, at least thrice during the home isolation period to obtain first-hand information about their condition.

Arrangements should be made to get the coronavirus patients admitted to the hospital if the need arises, the official said. ''Free COVID-19 medicine kit for the treatment of patients living in home isolation should be ensured,'' Singh said in a letter to the deputy commissioners.

The cumulative death toll in the state till Thursday stood at 5,153 with four fatalities reported during the day. No deaths were reported on Wednesday. Jharkhand has reimposed strict restrictions given the rising COVID-19 cases that include the closure of educational institutions and tourist places till January 15.