ASYMPTOMATIC CASES KEEP HEALTH DEPT GUESSING IN KAISERBAGH, OVER 15000 HOUSES SCANNED
LUCKNOW: With over 80% cases asymptomatic, Kaiserbagh has been a chasing ground for the health department, ever since a vegetable vendor tested positive here on April 29.
Till now, over 15000 houses have been scanned and the situation has compelled administration to make four hotspots- Najarbagh, Phoolbagh, Nayagaon and Qaiserbagh Sabji Mandi - to contain cases. But positive cases are still being reported. Interestingly, the vegetable seller who was the first case, was himself symptomatic and was advised coronavirus test when he visited a homoeopathic practitioner with cold and cough. The remaining chain almost remains asymptomatic.
After the vegetable vendor, 10 others, who came in his contact, have tested positive in the markets and at least four other residents. All of them tested positive without any symptoms. They were screened during the contact tracing. A minor girl in Machlimohal had tested positive, two days after her mother tested positive and both were asymptomatic. Similarly, five other contacts of this family too tested positive.
“None of those who tested positive in Machlimohal had symptom for coronavirus. Neither cold nor coughing and it is really a tricky situation for us. We need to keep a close watch as close family members might spread the infection without even showing symptoms themselves,” said a senior health official. “We have increased focus on contact tracing and random sampling to catch such cases that are asymptomatic,” said chief medical officer of Lucknow Dr Narendra Agrawal. Statistics of the last three days indicate this. On May 7, health teams screened 3101 houses and on May 8, 2967 houses were screened and on May 9, the teams screened families in 3456 houses in Qaiserbagh. Among the cases, three vegetable wholesalers and a general store owner are included in the list of 10 contacts of the first vegetable seller, who had tested positive on April 29.
The Nazarbagh vegetable market was made containment zone on Sunday after a vegetable wholesaler and general store owner tested positive.