The district administration of Kendrapara has sealed 12 villages in and around Radhanagar as a 32-year-old man tested positive for coronavirus. The said man returned from Dubai in the last week of March and has been under home quarantine ever since. On April 4, he tested positive and all his family members were immediately put under quarantine.
“The entire area has been turned into a restricted zone until further orders. We have advised people to stay in their houses. Door-to-door surveys are being conducted by health officials. Samples of suspects will only be tested,” said Collector Samarth Verma.
People with travel history have been asked to follow guidelines provided by health officials and take all required steps to prevent the spread of the virus. The authorities in the area are on high alert and will take strict action against anyone who does not follow the social-distancing protocol.
More than 20,000 highly qualified plumbers from villages in Aul, Pattamundai, Rajkanika and Rajnagar blocks work abroad. This provides a major boost to the local economy as the migrant workers send crores of rupees every year to their families back home.
In the past few months, around 10,000 migrant workers belonging to this region have returned home. They have been asked to remain under home quarantine and minimize social interaction for at least two weeks. With many of them returning from high-risk areas, the locals are worried that there might be a rise in the number of cases soon.