Jamshedpur, March 28: The district administration has directed the block development officers of all the 11 blocks to prepare 15-bed quarantine center in block headquarters while all the 231 panchayat should have 5-bed quarantine center.
� We are taking every possible step to combat challenges posed by coronavirus. We have asked the district officers to come up with quarantine centres across the district so that patients can be kept isolated,� said Ravi Shankar Shukla, deputy commissioner. He went on to inform that the BDOs will make arrangements. Isolation centres have come up in several places in the city but the idea is to ensure such places in rural areas too.
He also informed that several people who returned from abroad have been home quarantine and no positive case has been reported in the city so far.
�So far, we have been concentrating on screening international passengers. Now, we are taking up screening at the domestic level. We started this by screening passengers from Kerala and Delhi. However, we have now extended the screening.,� an official said.
�We do not have community spread now, and when it happens, it will be a huge challenge. People should avoid travel for two weeks, and this is important to prevent community transmission. We are ready to manage any situation. We have isolation wards in medical college hospitals and quarantine facilities,� he said.
On whether the number of samples lifted for testing was enough, he said they were following guidelines laid down for testing. �As of now, a person should have a travel history to an affected country or State and have symptoms of cough, fever and difficulty in breathing for testing.,� he said.