Two new mothers test positive in Hazaribag, district tally crosses 20

Hazaribag: The number of Covid-19 cases in Hazaribag reached 24 on Friday after six new cases, including two new

mothers

, were recorded here.

The women, residents of Godhakhar and Manar villages under Katkumsandi police station of the district, had delivered babies at Srinivas

Hospital

in Demotand area recently.

Speaking to TOI, deputy commissioner Bhuvanesh Pratap Singh said: “Soon after their reports arrived, the hospital’s management was directed to collect blood and swab samples of all staff members who attended to the two patients. There are around 40 patients who are currently undergoing treatment at the hospital. If need be, the entire hospital will be sanitized by Saturday.”

Singh said both women were moved to the Covid isolation ward of Hazaribag Medical College and Hospital (HMCH) on Friday. The HMCH’s gynaecology wing was shifted to Srinivas Hospital in Demotand after the former was made a dedicated Covid-19 facility. On Thursday, eight fresh cases were reported from the district. Of them, six are from Barkattha and one each from Katkumsandi and Chouparan. “The six men reached Barkattha from Thane in Maharashtra in a private vehicle. They were not allowed to enter their native villages and were taken to the Barhi quarantine centre. The man from Katkumsandi arrived from Kolkata in his personal car. All the positive patients have been moved to HMCH,” Singh added.

Hazaribag, categorised as orange zone by the MHA earlier this month, has marked Barkattha and Bishungarh as Covid-19 hotspots. The district administration said out of 4,500 migrants who returned, 650 have been quarantined. Civil surgeon Dr Krishna Kumar said close to 1,770 samples have been sent for testing so far. Singh said the testing centre at Hazaribag will soon become functional.