Baddi faces space constraint to house patients

Strap: Surge in Covid cases in BBN belt | Quarantine norms not being followed

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, July 14

With the industrial hub of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) witnessing a surge in Covid cases, the authorities are facing issues in putting people in quarantine owing to space constraint.

As many as 114 cases have been reported from the BBN area in the last five days. The tally of the infected persons in Solan district stands at 256, with a majority of them from the industrial belt. The active count is 153.

The BBN cluster has been seeing a spike in cases since July 5 when industrial workers were let-in and permitted home quarantine. Since the standard operating procedures for quarantine are not being followed properly, the health authorities are on toes to contain the spread of the infection.

Although a delayed move, it has been decided to hold labour contractors and industrial managements responsible if quarantine norms are violated.

Currently, only the ESI Covid hospital at Katha has 45-bed capacity for Covid cases. Only symptomatic patients are shifted there and it is also being used as an isolation facility.

There is a dedicated Covid care centre at Nalagarh, where 48 persons can be kept. It is also filled to capacity. As many as 10 patients have been shifted to the Covid hospital at Arki, including two who were sent today.

At a hospital at Baghalag in Arki, there is one doctor and a paramedic to attend to patients. It is a new facility created in view of the rising cases. SDM, Arki, Vikas Shukla said 22 patients were admitted to the hospital at present.

With 63 persons testing positive in the last 24 hours, the health authorities are facing a major challenge to house them suitably.

There are 10 doctors at the Nalagarh Community Health Centre and six at the Baddi Civil Hospital, besides 28 nurses. These facilities have the maximum Covid cases.

Nimantran Resort at Baddi was also notified as a Covid care centre today. As many as 59 persons, who were in quarantine there, continue to be housed there. They are the workers of Wrigley India Pvt Ltd. Staff of Brooklyn will look after them under the supervision of health officials.

Four patients each had been sent to the Nalagarh hospital and the ESIC Covid hospital at Katha, said SDM, Nalagarh, Prashant Deshta.