Bokaro district administration has stepped up testing in view of the rising number of Covid cases with the deputy commissioner deputy commissioner setting a target for health staff to collect as 3,000 swab samples within the next fortnight.

Deputy commissioner Mukesh Kumar said collection of samples had been stepped up in urban areas since a majority of the active cases were from Chas and Bokaro Steel townships. “Focusing on it, we have decided to sample more than 3,000 residents in the coming 15 days. This will help contain the virus,” Kumar said.

As of Saturday evening, Bokaro had 34 active cases after seven patients at the Covid ward of Bokaro General Hospital (BGH) were cured. Of them, three are men. Two of the women who recovered are teenagers.

Kumar said contact tracing of residents who had tested positive was on to break the chain. Door-to-door screening was being conducted in urban areas.

On Friday, 29 residents tested positive, the highest number recorded here on a single day.

“Bokaro has a population of 23 lakh. As per WHO guidelines, we have to sample around 4,600 residents. But in the last three and a half months, we have already collected over 7,500 samples of residents. Besides, we have now set a target to sample 3,000 more residents by July 25,” deputy commissioner Kumar said.

Civil surgeon Dr A.K. Pathak said the local health authorities had received its third Truenat machine for Covid testing. “This will help us enhance Covid-19 tests to a minimum of 90 at Sadar Hospital. Presently there are about 900 samples pending for testing. These were sent in the last two-three days,” he said.

Late of Friday night, the Bokaro district administration announced a number of containment zones and imposed a complete lockdown in several areas.

Lockdown areas

Sector 2C, Sector 8 C, Cooperative Colony of Bokaro Steel Township and wards 15, 22, 27, 32 of Chas Municipal Corporation

Containtment zones

Hanuman Nagar under Ukrid Panchayat of Chas, ward 27 of Chas Municipal Corporation, Telidih Road, ward 15, Purana Bazar, ward 32, Guru Govind Singh Nagar, Sardar Nagar, ward 22, Kunwar Singh Colony, Lavakuch in Azad Nagar of Siwandih under Chas block.

Bokaro Steel Township: Opposite Sector 8C Gandhi Ground, Bokaro Ispat Nagar, Sector 8C, Street-04, Sector-2 / C, Co-operative Colony.