As the number of COVID-19 cases doubled and the number of people in quarantine increased by five times in the state within a week, the Uttarakhand government has started GIS mapping of areas affected by the outbreak for a better management strategy. The number of people in quarantine in the state was 8,559 on April 3 but surged to 44,183 (both home and institutional) on April 10. The mapped information will be accessible through a website and will have key information, including the number of positive cases, number of people in isolation, home and institutional quarantine and number of contacts of affected people identified in that locality. The mapping exercise is expected to conclude over the weekend. “This mapping will help in drawing up a strategy for supply of essential services in that particular locality and also decide more areas that need to be sealed as buffer zones. COVID-19-related information of the entire state will be on a single page,” said Riddhim Aggarwal, Additional CEO, Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority. Buffer zones will also be displayed on the website and changes in the number of cases and people in quarantine would be updated. There are 109 relief camps in the state where over 4,500 people have been provided shelter. These camps will also be marked on the website. While some information will only be accessible to officials engaged in identification of affected areas and decision-making for COVID-19 management, citizens will have a limited access to information, such as locations of nearby hospitals, phone numbers of control rooms and helplines, relief camps, contact details for nodal officers and awareness slides. NGOs working to supply food and essential services will also be able to access the information. So far, 35 people have tested positive for the infection and five have already been discharged. Out of 13 districts in the state, positive cases have been reported in six.
