COVID-19: Spl Squads To Check Crowds At Shopping Malls During Festive Season In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The Health Department will keep a close eye on the crowd during the festive season, said a senior health official and warned that COVID0-19 infection can increase if crowds gather.

The Home Department has stressed the need to strictly adhere to the guidelines issued for COVID, especially during shopping. Special squads will be deployed at shopping malls to check gatherings, said Health Director Bijay Mohapatra.

The government will declare containment and micro containment zones in areas where rise in infections will be observed during te festive period, he added.

It may be mentioned that the state government, on Friday, extended the duration of night curfew by two hours in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack by two hours (8 pm to 5 am instead of 10 pm to 5 am) from October 11 to 20.

Currently, 40,000 to 60,000 tests are performed daily, he said and added that this will continue as it is at present. The infections are low in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar but people need to be careful and vigilant to check the spread of virus, he added.

“Both, ICMR and NITI Aayog have warned about this earlier and the Home as well as Health Ministries have issued directions in this. We are taking it seriously,” said Mohapatra.

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