Sangli, April 11: Islmapur, a small town in Maharashtra's Sangli district, was identified as one of the hotspots for the coronavirus outbreak in the country. However, the strict imposition of lockdown and preventive measures paid off and Islampur has now become the first coronavirus-free hotspot in the country. Out of 26 coronavirus cases reported in Islampur, 24 patients have recovered. Coronavirus Tracker Live News Updates.
On March 23, panic gripped residents of Islampur when four people from a family tested positive for coronavirus. They had returned from Saudi Arabia. Soon after the cases were reported, authorities swung into action and formed District Rapid Response Teams (DRRT). Symptomatic contacts of the four patients were put in isolation, while asymptomatic close contacts were put in institutional quarantine. Coronavirus Cases in India Jump to 7447 With Highest Single-Day Surge in Deaths, 40 COVID-19 Patients Die in 24 Hours.
Although 22 more people of the same family had contracted coronavirus, authorities managed to contain the outbreak. An area of 1-km radius from the residence of the infected family was declared as a containment zone. Entry and exit from the zone were regulated and authorities ensured doorstep delivery of essentials items in the hotspot.
"There were around 1,608 families, with over 7,600 citizens, residing in the zone. An additional buffer zone, again of a one-km radius, was created. There was only a single entry-exit point," Sangli District Collector Abhijeet Chaudhary was quoted by TOI as saying. All vehicles coming out of the zone had to go through disinfection.
While police kept a close watch on movement within the hotspot, teams of healthcare workers under the leadership of Sangli district civil surgeon Sanjay Salunkhe started tracing and mapping the contacts. They went door-to-door to gather details of people living in every house and ensured no contact go unnoticed. Eventually, all new cases were limited to the contacts of the original four patients.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 11, 2020 12:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).