Incoming Travellers to be Screened, Masks Made Compulsory as MP Responds to Covid-19 Spike in Maharashtra

With a fresh surge in the number of Covid-19 cases in neighbouring Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh has braced for the eventuality of a sounding high alert in districts adjoining that state. The state has decided that it will carry out thermal scanning of those arriving from Maharashtra, among other measures announced on Monday.

The decision was taken during a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Bhopal. It was decided that the use of facial masks will be made compulsory and punitive action will be ensured against those violating the norm.

District administrations have been directed to hold a meeting of District Crisis Management Committee compulsorily by February 23 in Bhopal, Indore, Hoshangabad, Seoni, Barwani, Chhindwara, Balaghat, Betul, Khandwa, Burhanpur, Alirajpur and others along the border with Maharashtra.

The agenda of the meetings would be to deliberate over whether to organise fairs in upcoming months which will see an influx of people of Maharashtra. If at all such events are organised, the structure of events and binding conditions should be specified clearly.

The committees are also required to apprise the Home ministry about matters discussed by February 24.

Temperature checks of those coming from Maharashtra will be arranged in border areas, it was decided in the meeting.

There has been an alarming rise in Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra, prompting the state government to put in place prohibitive measures. Night curfew has been ordered in several cities.

Cities in MP like Indore, Bhopal and Jabalpur have been recording a surge in fresh infections and on Sunday, these cities reported 135, 55 and 17 new cases respectively. The total number of active cases has surged to 612 and 500 in Indore and Bhopal respectively, following the fresh wave.

Covid-19 safety protocols had eased out in the state after the fresh cases had ebbed. Presently, the state is busy administering second dose of the vaccine to frontline workers.

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