Maha’s Islampur all set to become the first covid 19-free hotspot in the country

Team Udayavani, Apr 11, 2020, 2:50 PM IST

Sangli: Identified as a Covid 19 hotspot, Islampur a small town in Maharasthra’s Sangli district is all set to become the first coronavirus-free hotspot in the country. This has been possible owing to the lockdown clamped in the district along with preventive measures taken by the authorities.

The first case of coronavirus was reported in the town on March 23 when four member of a family, with a travel history to Saudi Arabia tested positive for coronavirus. Later 22 members of the same family were found to be infected.

Soon after the cases were reported, authorities swung into action and formed District Rapid Response Teams (DRRT). Primary contacts of the infected, displaying covid 19 like symptoms were placed in isolation and asymptomatic close contacts were put in institutional quarantine.

The area in the radius of 1 km from the residence of the infected family was declared as a containment zone and restrictions imposed on travel to and from the zone. People were restricted from venturing out and all essentials were door delivered.

Apart from the containment zone comprising of nearly 1,608 families, with over 7,600 citizens the authorities created an additional buffer zone, again of a one-km radius. The buffer zone had a single entry and exit point with police teams monitoring movements of people in the hotspot.

Healthcare workers began the task of tracing and mapping the contacts by conducting a survey in each and every household taking care that no contact goes unnoticed. Eventually, all new cases were limited to the contacts of the original four patients.

Presently 24 persons of the 26 infected with coronavirus have recovered