Door-to-door screening to be carried out in COVID-19-affected districts: Nitish

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday directed officials to start door-to-door screening on the lines of the pulse polio drive to identify coronavirus infected people in COVID-19 affected districts of the state.

The drive will be launched from April 16 in Siwan, Begusarai, Nalanda and Nawada districts, Kumar said.

He said those carrying out the screening drive will be given proper training.

As per the health department bulletin issued on Tuesday, the total number of positive coronavirus cases stood at 66 with one death in the state while 29 patients have recovered so far.

Close to 7,781 samples have been tested so far, of which 7,715 have been found negative while four have been rejected, the bulletin said.

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Door-to-door screening will also be carried out in a three-kilometre radius of the residence of the 66 COVID- 19 positive patients of the state, he said.

Kumar gave these directions at a meeting with seniors officials to discuss measures to contain the spread of COVID- 19 in the state. The meeting was held at his official residence.

Door-to-door screening will also be carried out of all those people who have come to the state from outside (other states) between March 1 to 23, the chief minister said.

Spitting in public places is not good as it increases the chances of transmission of a contagious disease like COVID- 19, Kumar said while emphasizing the need to make people aware about it.

Principal Secretary, Health, Sanjay Kumar informed the chief minister that door-to-door screening will be carried out by a team and each team will comprise two persons. There will be a supervisor above them who will prepare and submit a list of people who have been screened.

People with symptoms of COVID-19 will be sent to quarantine centres set up at the block level, the principal secretary said, adding that staff going for screening will be given three-layered masks and gloves.

The chief minister appealed to people not to misbehave with COVID-19 frontline workers engaged in providing health services as they are working for society and the country by putting their lives at risk.

People should not pay heed to rumours with regard to coronavirus, Nitish Kumar said while asking officials to ensure that people should get correct information.

People should maintain discipline in enforcing the lockdown and practice social distancing, Kumar said while asserting that the government is taking every possible measure to tackle the problem of COVID-19.

"We have fought collectively whenever faced by such challenges in the past. I am confident that we will be able to face the challenge of coronavirus pandemic successfully with the help and cooperation of the people," he said.

Meanwhile, the chief minister congratulated the 14 patients who have recovered from coronavirus and said their recovery has emboldened the state government's efforts in its fight against COVID-19.

Nitish Kumar wished all the 14 people of a long and healthy life, a government release said.