There are adequate testing kits for coronavirus in Gautam Buddh Nagar and more resources are being pooled in to combat the pandemic, District Magistrate Suhas L Y said on Tuesday, asserting his priorityis tracing contacts of COVID-19 patients.
Suhas, who took charge as the DM at 5 in the morning, has replaced Brijesh Narain Singh, who was shunted out within hours of a meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday who had come to review the situation in Gautam Buddh Nagar, the state's worst COVID-19 hit district with 38 cases so far.
Assuming the charge of the COVID-19 hotspot, the 36-year-old IAS officer appealed to the people of Noida and Greater Noida to stay indoors and follow necessary precautions like social distancing against the virus, saying the restrictions are for the benefit of everyone.
"We have a protocol decided for testing, there are primary contacts and symptomatic patients, etc and tests are done in accordance with protocols. As of today, we have adequate testing kits. But this disease grows exponentially and we have to ensure that the curve is flattened. We will procure more testing kits to ensure we achieve our objective," he told reporters.
According to a Health Department data, samples of 626 people have been collected and sent for coronavirus test till Tuesday evening of which 38 resulted positive, 421 negative, while results of 170 were awaited.
Suhas, who has earlier served as the DM in Allahabad, Maharajganj, Hathras, Sonbhadra, Jaunpur and Azamgarh, said the administration's priority is to trace the contacts of those infected, monitor them in quarantine and get them treated.
"We have information from the central government and other sources on people who have travelled abroad and returned to this district. Besides, we are gathering similar information from other sources also. All data will be used and resources stepped up for contact tracing," Suhas said.
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The DM said at present there is an isolation facility for 40 patients in the district, but resources including manpower were being mobilised to prepare for the future.
"We have our medical teams working and another isolation facility with 100 beds should be ready by tonight. We are also preparing for the future and have identified hospitals. We need infrastructure as well as manpower because there is also protocol for manpower. They will also need to stay in quarantine after working in this situation. All these aspects are being kept in mind as we chalk out strategy for the future," he added.
He also appealed to the people to not spread any rumours on social media, and warned strictest action against anyone found doing that.