Bhubaneswar, Mar 29 (IANS): The Odisha government on Sunday asked all District Collectors and Municipal Commissioners to emphasise on surveillance and contact tracing to contain the spread of coronavirus in the state.

In a letter, Health Secretary N.B. Dhal said active surveillance is the foundation of prevention and containment of the disease.

"The updated data received indicates that 2,856 persons who returned from abroad in the last 14 days could not be contacted by district surveillance teams so far," said Dhal.

He said these persons could infect others unless home-quarantined.

"They need to be contacted at the earliest to ensure their home quarantine. This task has to be carried out by Collectors and Municipal Commissioners," said the Health secretary.

He requested the officials concerned to focus on surveillance and contact tracing.

Besides, there is need for risk-based testing, isolation of confirmed cases and quarantine of contacts of confirmed cases, irrespective of symptoms, said Dhal.