Odisha seals border with Chhattisgarh amid surge in COVID-19 cases

Amid the surge in COVID-19 cases in Odisha, the federal government on Saturday sealed its border with Chhattisgarh and intensified patrolling alongside the interstate boundary.

Districts bordering Chhattisgarh have registered a spike in coronavirus cases over the previous few days, prompting the administration to problem an order asking folks from the neighbouring State to furnish their COVID-negative reviews for entry to the State, senior officers mentioned.

Chief Secretary SC Mohapatra, who visited the western districts of Kalahandi and Nuapada in the course of the day, requested officers to reinitialise consciousness campaigns, and take strict motion towards folks in the event that they fail to abide by the well being protocols, regardless of requests and warnings.

“Do not show any mercy to offenders of COVID-19 protocols, after holding awareness campaigns for two to three days. Let people understand that wearing face mask is mandatory to avoid spread of infection,” the chief secretary mentioned at a overview assembly in Nuapada district.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has, in the meantime, ordered the administration to double the penalty price for not sporting masks. People should cough up ₹2,000 for the primary two violations, and effective would go as much as ₹5,000 for subsequent transgressions.

Official sources mentioned the COVID-19 state of affairs in Nuapada district, bordering Chhattisgarh, has been categorised as “critical”, after infections there recorded a five-fold bounce over the previous 4 days.

Mr Mohapatra, alongside with senior officers, checked therapy amenities in the 2 districts, and gave assurances that steps are being taken to extend beds in ICUs and ramp up scientific examination.

The sources additionally mentioned that migrant staff, who had returned to their workplace after the COVID state of affairs improved throughout the nation, are coming again in hordes.

State labour minister Sushant Singh mentioned preparations have been being made for the returnees.

“Migrants are returning to Odisha from some highly- contaminated states. All district administrations have been requested to maintain Temporary Medical Camps (TMCs) prepared on the entry factors to fulfill any eventuality. An in depth guideline for migrant staff might be issued quickly, the minister said.

Odisha on Saturday registered its highest single-day spike in 2021 with as many as 1,374 folks testing optimistic for the an infection, which additional pushed the tally to three,48,182, the well being division mentioned.

Two recent fatalities in the coastal state raised the toll to 1,926, it added.