Testing times for Udaipur. From being a predominantly dormant scenario as far as the augmentation in positive cases was concerned, to now being marked as a Red Zone, Coronavirus has kept the Udaipur administration on its toes.

Between the last week and today, the number of positive cases in Udaipur increased from 4 to 8, which in terms of numbers might not look so overwhelming, but the fact being that Udaipur was stable at 4 since 2 April when the first 4 cases came into picture, it has been three weeks.  The controls have been strict in the city of lakes, with residents paying heed to the administration orders. No positive cases were identified in the last three weeks and suddenly the graph shoots upto a 100% growth in positive cases.

With late night information recieved from the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Dinesh Kharade and confirmed today morning, the news for Udaipur division can be segmented into Good, Bad and Ugly.

GOOD

Four patients that were identified back to back with links to Udaipur over the past week, had disturbed the COVID peace in Udaipur. As per information, the close contacts of all the four positive patients have been tested and their reports are negative.

Close contacts of the RAC Police Constable (from Jaipur) while he was in transit at Udaipur, have been tested and their reports are negative. All 8 close contacts of the Police constable as well as the 4 staff of Praptapnagar Police station have been tested negative.

The 48 year old lady from Gariyawas (Sub City Center) being found positive was a shocker for the administration and health department, as her close contacts would include her husband, who works as a free lance accountant (Munim) at the Krishi Mandi in Savina, which is barely a few 100 meters from where she lives. He other contacts include hospital staff, who were working with her when she comes for regular treatment and checkup at the hospital.  As per confirmed reports received today morning at 6am, all 10 contacts of the lady have been found to be negative. This includes her husband as well.  This is relief for the health department and the administration. The medical sleuths are now determining the source of the infection, which is very critical to Udaipur.

Earlier yesterday, the 24 year old boy from Salumber, who had come from Ahmedabad after being found positive and then negative and being in Quarantine, was found to be negative.  All of his close contacts and those under quarantine in OTC scheme were also declared negative.

Close contacts of the Nurse from Corona ward in Udaipur, which include her 62  year old husband and 4 year old grandson have also been found negative. Close contacts of the Mavli labourer who had returned from Mumbai have also been declared negative.

BAD

Udaipur was safely in the Orange zone till just last week. We were looking at moving towards Green, and restoring some normalcy to daily life in the coming month.  But with last weeks augmentation to the positive cases, Udaipur could be shifted to the RED Zone, which means the lockdown status quo will be maintained.  This leads us to investigate and introspect in where we can be going wrong and what are the pain points that need to be addressed.

The infections to the lady in Gariyawas are a reason for concern to the authorities, both in administration as well as the hospital.  It is important for them to round up the possible sources of infection, because if the source is on the loose, the infection could be transmitted at community level and then the tables would be turned for Udaipur.

It is important at this stage, to identify the Corona Carriers, as they are coming from outside the city. With the relief given in the lockdown subsequent to 20 April vehicles and pass holders are coming into the city in hundreds. Most of the primary cases we have witnessed in Udaipur are due to external carriers. Indore, Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

With the number of positive cases reaching 20 and increasing in Chittorgarh, the positive cases from nearby districts at Udaipur hospital, the situation on the borders of Udaipur is grim and needs to be dealt with an iron hand. Today's decision on the permission being granted towards movement of migrant labour is another aspect which needs to be considered in the coming days.

UGLY

COVID reared its ugly head in Udaipur division today.  Udaipur division recorded its first death due to Coronavirus when a 43 year old male COVID-19 patient was declared dead in the early hours today. He belonged to Nimbaheda. There was no co-morbidity found in the patient, which means that he died from COVID-19. He was diagnosed with Coronavirus on 25 April.

This is a round up of the information on COVID at Udaipur at this point of time from the CMHO.