TURA, Nov 19: Amid an aura of apprehensions of community spread in Tura, the Health department and the district administration have begun a door-to-door contact tracing starting Thursday.
It may be mentioned that six people succumbing to COVID-19 in a span of just one week has triggered an alarm among the medics in Garo Hills.
COVID management teams have, meanwhile, been dispatched to different localities and RT-PCR tests are being conducted. A high level-team from the Health department is also expected in Tura in the next few days to assess the ground situation, it was informed.
The door-to-door surveillance work has begun in Lower Babupara, Braminpara, RC Road and Lower Chandmari. Two of the recent deaths in Tura occurred in Lower Babupara and Cherangre (adjoining RC Road). Authorities have also been directed to strictly enforce COVID protocols.
Meanwhile, high-level sources within the government have informed that if the situation continues to turn worse, urgent steps to stop the spread of the virus will be necessitated.
The health officials believe that the abrupt spike in COVID-19 cases bears witness to the interstate and inter-district movement among people.
On Thursday alone, a Tata Winger coming from Assam and bound for Tura was flagged down at Berubari entry point of North Garo Hills, and during the screening, one of the passengers was found positive for the virus. The other occupants of the vehicle were subsequently directed to quarantine themselves.
Meanwhile, in East Garo Hills, the Williamnagar Post Office has been declared as a micro-containment zone after COVID cases were detected on Thursday.