Bokaro district reported 29 fresh Covid cases on Thursday night, recording the city’s biggest single day jump so far with officials working towards setting up several micro-containment zones.

“As many as 29 new cases of Covid 19 have been confirmed in Bokaro. Preparations are being made to shift everyone to the Covid ward of Bokaro General Hospital (BGH). Contact tracing of all is being done. Currently, the total number of active cases in Bokaro has risen to 41,” said Bokaro deputy commissioner Mukesh Kumar.

Most of the cases are from Bokaro and Chas townships. While About 15 cases are from various pockets in Chas, eight cases surfaced in Bokaro Steel township. Two cases each are from Azad Nagar, Siwandih and Gomia.

The district administration is preparing 10 micro-containment zones in Chas, Bokaro and Azadnagar areas. The deputy commissioner has already imposed stricter norms for traders and businessman with outlets in markets. All banquet and marriage halls attached to hotels have been sealed to ensure there was no social gathering.

Shopkeepers in urban areas have been asked to comply with social distancing norms and insist on customers to wear masks.

“Our team will launch surprise checking in shops and seal those found violating norms,” deputy commissioner Kumar said.

“Since Corona has entered urban areas, we are appealing to everyone to always take precaution. Use face masks, follow social distancing and wash your hands with soap at regular intervals. And the best way is to be safe is to stay home,” he added.

In Gomia, all those infected with the virus had been quarantined. But most of the patients in Chas were detected after tracing contacts of others who had tested positive.

Bokaro town has patients in sector-2 and 8. A district transport office employee has also tested positive as have two CISF personnel, said district civil surgeon Dr A. K. Pathak, civil surgeon, Bokaro.

SDO of Chas Shashi Prakash Singh said though there was a spike in positive cases, the number was less compared to the number of tests being conducted. Out of 500 test reports that were released on Thursday, 29 were positive, which he said, wasn’t all that alarming considering that about 300 swab samples are collected and sent for testing every day.