5 Bhubaneswar schools functioning as testing centres for COVID-19

With Bhubaneswar emerging as

a coronavirus hotspot in Odisha, the state government on Saturday opened five primary schools across the state capital to function as COVID-19 testing centres, official sources said.

All the schools, located in different corners of the state capital, started functioning as testing centres from 9 am on Saturday, an official said.

The medical teams also collected swab samples of targeted persons for conducting the COVID-19 tests.

Sample collection was carried out in two sessions, from 9 am to 12 noon and from 3 pm to 5 pm and the process will continue till April 17, the official said.

A person has to produce his/her Aadhar card and telephone number to get the tests done free of cost, the official said, adding that the persons referred by ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) are coming for the tests.

 

People, who are already in home quarantine after they have returned either from abroad or other states, have also been asked to undergo tests for COVID-19, he said.

Photography or videography of the people going to the primary schools has been prohibited to ensure there is no infringement of privacy of any person, the official said.

The five testing centres are Government Primary School at Jharpada, UG High School at Gandamunda, Mumtaz Ali High School at Nayapalli and two government high schools at Chandrasekharpur and Saheed Nagar, he said.

All tests are being carried out in the presence of the school staff including two teachers.

A sweeper or a watchman of each school is assisting the medical teams, the official said.

The mass testing of people began after the state government received rapid testing kits from the Centre, he said.

Out of the total 50 COVID-19 cases in Odisha, a total of 38 patients are from Bhubaneswar and among them, seven have recovered and discharged, the official added.