Malkangiri: Wary of the spread of COVID-19, the Malkangiri district administration has restricted the entry of visitors from 13 districts till further notice. The decision was taken following a steady rise in cases in different parts of the district.
Malkangiri Collector cum District Magistrate Manish Agarwal ‘imposed restrictions on the mobility and congregation of persons in the interest of the containment of the spread of the disease and vulnerability and promulgate the mentioned stipulations. In an official letter dated July 10, the order comes into action with immediate effect.
Returnees, in both rural and urban areas, who are returning from following districts have to mandatorily undergo 14 days of institutional/paid quarantine. The districts are Ganjam, Cuttack, Bhadrak, Khordha (including Bhubaneswar), Jajpur, Nayagarh, Puri, Dhenkanal, Sundergarh, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Gajapati and Balasore.
In special circumstances such as pregnant and lactating mothers, children below the age of 10 years, persons with co-morbidities, persons above the age of 65 years, etc. may be allowed for home quarantine, if they have adequate facilities. And, in case, someone in quarantine develops symptoms requiring medical attention, he/she may be shifted to COVID Care Centre or COVID hospital.
Government officials, professionals, business persons or any other person travelling to/from Malkangiri on work and intending to exit/enter the district by road within 72 hours are exempted from mandatory quarantine.
The official letter added that any violations will attract penal action under the National Disaster Management Act, 2005, Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, Section 188 of IPC, etc.