Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government ordered Thursday mandatory institutional quarantine of 14 days for the people coming to Odisha from West Bengal. This rule will come into effect from Friday.
Chief Secretary Suresh Mohapatra while making the announcement said the rule will be implemented due to the rise of COVID-19 cases in Odisha and detection of a third mutant variety in the neighbouring state.
He said all those coming from West Bengal by any mode of transport will have to undergo quarantine. Persons who will produce RT-PCR negative reports obtained in the last 48 hours and those who have taken both doses of vaccine will have to undergo home quarantine.
West Bengal returnees can opt for quarantine at the Temporary Medical Centre (TMC) set up by Odisha government or opt for paid ones urban areas. “COVID cases in Odisha are rising.
Earlier the rise was due to the influx of people from Chhattisgarh. Now West Bengal is a new threat because it is reporting more than 10,000 cases daily and the numbers are swelling,” Mohapatra said.
“Odisha has also detected a triple mutant variety of the virus. It may be that the Bengal returnees will have this variant. This new variant is indeed dangerous and spreads very quickly. So the decision to order mandatory quarantine for people from West Bengal has been taken,” informed Mohapatra.
Mohapatra said that collectors of all districts that share boundaries with West Bengal have been alerted and asked to take actions accordingly.
“All vehicles will be checked and then allowed to enter,” he said. The chief secretary said airport officials in the state capital and Jharsuguda have also been informed about the new rule and all passengers will be screened.
PNN