District authorities have sealed an area of one km at three different locations of the city after the tally of Coronavirus positive patients in Meerut reached 13 while there are strong chances that this number is going to multiply in the coming days.

Eight fresh cases tested positive on Sunday night after which the decision to seal the areas from where they have been reported was taken up by the district administration. All of these eight cases are those who had come in contact with a businessman who had come here from Amravati in Maharashtra on March 19. His family members had also tested positive.

District magistrate Anil Dhingra has imposed a complete ban on the movement of people and vehicles at Sector 13 of Shastri Nagar, Sarai Behleem, and Humayun Nagar in order to prevent the further spread of the virus through contacts. These are the areas where all of these Corona positive cases have been reported.

The DM has stated in his order that the ban would be imposed effectively until April 3 for which three magistrates have been deputed in these localities. However, the supply of essential commodities in these areas during the sealing will be ensured by the administration so that people do not face any problem, though no compromise would be made with the law and order situation.

The first positive case of Corona was reported on March 27 here. The patient, a businessman, who originally hails from Khurja in Bulandshahr district had a travel history. He had come from Amravati of Maharastra on March 19 to meet some relatives. Here he interacted with people, attended a wedding and visited other places including a mosque for Namaz.

On the following day, his wife and her three brothers also tested positive for Covid 19. Thereafter, at least 50 persons who came in their contact were isolated and their samples were sent for testing and 8 of them also tested positive on Sunday evening. Unconfirmed sources said that five more cases are positive out of this group.

A team of health workers, police and officials reached the localities from where the positive cases were reported and banned all kind of movement of local residents in a one km radius till April 3.

Also, a survey is being conducted by the health department to trace the contact history of infected people or any other probable who have similar symptoms said Chief Medical Officer Dr Rajkumar adding that it is a mammoth task to create awareness among people on this issue yet they are relentlessly trying to sensitise about the threat from the Coronavirus and precautionary measures that could be adopted.

The government medical staff, including the CMO himself, is doing more than 18 hours of duty on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, the district magistrate has released names of two doctors and Corona medical Control room numbers:

Dr Gopal – 9868888887

Dr BP Sharma – 9412781231

Corona Control Room No- 0121- 2662244

The DM has appealed to people to call these numbers if they have come in contact with any of the positive tested persons. Besides, he has also asked the travellers from abroad and within India to call on the given numbers by Monday evening if at all they had travelled after March 12. They would be examined medically as a precautionary measure. Also, legal action would be initiated against those who fail to comply with the orders under Section 188 of the IPC.