Neemuch has managed to stay in the ‘green zone’ with zero cases in the region despite being surrounded by yellow and red zone districts, like Mandsaur and Ratlam.
The alertness of the administration and a comparatively higher testing rate is commendable. Collector Jitendra Singh Raje said that he assumed charge as Neemuch collector on March 12. He was instructed to prioritise safety of people from rapidly spreading coronavirus pandemic.
Raje said that he and his team tried to emulate Rajasthan’s Bhilwara’s model, and slowly started sealing the district borders. They even conducted screenings of multiple people. SP Manoj Kumar Rai, jila panchayat CEO Bhavya Mittal, civil surgeon Dr BL Rawat, Dr Sangeeta Bharati and others are also pitching in these works.
Raje constituted about 22 teams to spread awareness about coronavirus in rural regions of Neemuch- well before the pandemic spread its wings in the state.
These teams are also conducting door-to-door screenings. He said that most districts that were identified as green zones mere 10 days ago are now in yellow or red zones.
Talking about improvements in health infrastructure, Raje informed that there are now 100 isolation wards in Neemuch as opposed to last month’s 10. The team has also managed to increase the quarantine capacity manifold by increasing number of beds from 15 to 500. Raje said that out of the 132 samples sent till date for testing, 121 have tested negative. The reports of rest of them are yet to arrive.
Neemuch administration is testing persons suffering from cold and cough and fever. They have already screened 342 out of the total 407 people with travel history.
About 1,059 people came to Neemuch when the lockdown had just begun. Out of which 956 have even completed their home quarantine. A mobile medical unit is examining each and every person coming inside the boundaries of Neemuch. Sample collection booths have been established in every village.
Collector Raje and his team have appeled to the people to stay indoors. He also told them to not behave carelessly and hang out outdoors as the district is still in green zone. He has instructed them to practice social distancing and follow what the administration says.
