Fight against COVID-19: Odisha allows asymptomatic cases in urban areas for home isolation

Bhubaneswar: Changing its strategy in the fight against deadly COVID-19, Odisha government today allowed asymptomatic cases or persons with mild symptoms in urban areas of the State to keep themselves in home isolation in the first phase.

If any person in 114 ULBs, district dist headquarters town and block headquarters town test positive and want to stay in home isolation, the government will allow them for the same with some conditions, said Chief Secretary Asit Kumar Tripathy today.

The home isolation will be helpful for asymptomatic persons. This apart, there will be a lesser chance for them to get secondary infection. Family members of the infected asymptomatic persons will make them to follow the COVID-19 guidelines, he added.

The decision has been taken after the government received requests from the society for home isolation, the Chief Secretary said.

Municipal corporations, Bhubaneswar and Jharsuguda airports, ports, PSU units, Central Armed Police Force, Odisha Police, Fire Services, central institutes, universities, deemed varsities, religious committees, resident welfare associations and any NGO are allowed to create isolation facilities if any of their members test positive, Tripathy informed.

The State government will provide all necessary support including diet allowance if the above said organizations fail to arrange isolation facilities for asymptomatic cases, he added.