SEARCH FOR THE SINGER’S ‘CONTACTS’ BECOMES TOUGH

LUCKNOW: Search for Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor’s ‘contacts’ is becoming difficult for the state health department as many of the people the medical staff called up said they (contacts) were out of Uttar Pradesh.

“We intend to track all primary and secondary ‘contacts’ of the singer, but many of them have already moved out to places such as Delhi or Mumbai. However, we are in a position to take stock of their health but we don’t know whom all they contacted,” said Yogesh Raghuvanshi, spokesperson of the health department.

Till now the health department officials have tracked 268 ‘contacts’ of the singer, who tested positive for coronavirus on March 20 and has been hospitalized at SGPGI here. Sixty-four of her ‘contacts’ from Lucknow and Kanpur were also tested and found negative for coronavirus. Her other ‘contacts’ are being traced as she attended several social gatherings at different places after returning from UK on March 9 to Mumbai and then came to Lucknow on March 11, Raghuvanshi said.

Those traced have been advised home quarantine whether they have symptoms or not. This precaution shall continue until all her primary ‘contacts’ test negative, he said.

“We are making phone calls to all those who came in ‘contact’ of the singer and also asking whom all they met. But the chain seems to be breaking down with some of them not providing complete information on their travel,” said another health officer in Lucknow privy to the matter. The health department is now planning to seek help from the district administration. “Details of such ‘contacts’ will be sent to district administration so that the authorities in other cities, where these ‘contacts’ have moved to, may be informed,” said a health official.