SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad Oct 26: The District Health Department has put the passengers coming from West Bengal by trains and roads under its scanner to avoid influx of Covid cases in Dhanbad.
An official of the health department, on Tuesday, said that screening and testing of trains and road passengers of Bengal at railway stations and inter-state bus-stands have been tightened in the wake of reports coming about new spurt of Covid-19 cases in the neighbouring state.
“The passengers coming to Dhanbad from other states would be allowed to exit from railway station only after going through a Covid- 19 test. Since Covid cases have been recorded in large scale in West Bengal, the health department has tightened the safety measures here in Dhanbad,” said Dr Rajkumar Singh, Integrated Diseases Surveillance Programme (IDSP) officer.
On Monday, 2693 passengers coming to the district by trains and buses were tested at the railway station and bus stand. All of them were found negative. Health department teams have been deployed at different spots of the Jharkhand- Bengal border.
A senior official said that the health department was already on high alert about the visitors from Bengal after two people were found infected in Panchet on the Jharkhand- Bengal border while screening.
“The Health department has continued the testing of people at railway stations and bus stands since last year. But now the special focus has been given at different places to check the influx of infected persons in the district,” said Dr Rajkumar Singh.
Health department officials have assured that the district is geared up for any challenge. The infection danger could be averted only through increased testing. So, screening (testing) at hustle -bustle areas in the city has been intensified. Officials claimed that a task force of the health department has so far succeeded in checking the infection from spreading further.
