BHOPAL: With the rise in COVID-19 cases, the Madhya Pradesh government on Wednesday decided to cap the number of people attending weddings at 250 and those at funerals at 50 to check the spread of the infection, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.
He also said that big fairs should not be organised.
Schools will continue to hold classes with 50 per cent attendance of students like earlier, the chief minister said.
Chouhan reviewed the COVID-19 situation and virtually interacted with officials.
"There is a need to be careful now to prevent the COVID-19 infection. In such a situation, big fairs should not be organised. Marriage functions should be organised with a maximum attendance of 250 people. Schools should be run with 50 per cent strength as (used to be) earlier," Chouhan said in a statement after holding the meeting.
He said that the maximum number of people who can attend funerals is restricted to 50.
A night curfew between 11 pm to 5 am is already in place in Madhya Pradesh in view of the surge in cases.
Chouhan directed officials to conduct at least 60,000 COVID-19 tests every day in MP, monitor patients who are in the home isolation, and fine people found without masks at public places.
"There are several restrictions along with the night curfew in other states. There will be no other restrictions in Madhya Pradesh but the decision to limit the attendance in various functions has been taken," the chief minister said.
The state government had last year lifted the restrictions on the number of guests at weddings and mourners at funerals, as the cases declined.
"We also need to be careful and focus on precautionary measures as the highest number of cases in the country are being reported from neighbouring Maharashtra," the chief minister said.
He also directed officials to make arrangements for the isolation of patients in the care centres besides putting in place other medical facilities in the state.
More than one lakh beds should be arranged in such centres across MP, he said.
After the CM held the meeting, the state Home Department issued orders about the maximum number of people allowed to attend marriages and funerals and regarding masks, social distancing and other protocols.
The COVID-19 tally in Madhya Pradesh shot up to 7,95,363 on Wednesday with detection of 594 new cases, while the death toll increased by one to reach 10,535, an official said.
The recovery count stood at 7,83,284 after 78 people were discharged from hospitals during the day, leaving the state with an active tally of 1,544, he said.
On Tuesday, the state had recorded 308 COVID-19 cases and one death.
With 59,525 swab samples examined during the day, the number of tests in MP went up to 2,40,02,195, the official added.
A government release said 10,46,75,955 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far in the state, including 8,43,931 on Wednesday.
Coronavirus figures in MP are as follows: Total cases 7,95,363, new cases 594, death toll 10,535, recoveries 7,83,284, active cases 1,544, total tests 2,40,02,195.