The East Singhbhum district health department issued a directive to all Covid-designated hospitals in the steel city to be prepared to treat and admit patients after a steady increase in the number of fresh cases over the last week.

As many as 30 people tested positive for the Coronavirus on Thursday, taking the total number of cases from March 8 to 190.

District civil surgeon A.K. Lal said he had written to all five Covid-designated hospitals in Jamshedpur. "We have asked them to stay prepared to deal with fresh cases like they did last year when the pandemic had struck," he said, adding that thhe directive were issued as a precautionary measure.

"It is evident that Covid-19 cases are increasing alarmingly in states like Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Delhi. It is unlikely that the steel city will be an exception. There are chances cases may increase here like in cities of the surge states," the civil surgeon said.

Lal said last year, people followed Covid guidelines strictly. But after the introduction of the vaccine, he felt, the fear factor had all but disappeared from people's minds. "But the danger of its spread is more now than beore," he claimed.

The five Covid designated health hubs in the steel city are Tata Main Hospital, Tata Motors Hospital, MGM Medical College and Hospital, Uma Super Speciality Hospital and St John's Hospital. Presently, most Covid patients are admitted at Tata Main Hospital. About half-a-dozen people are undergoing treatment at MGM.