CUTTACK: Amid steep rise in Covid-19 cases, safety protocols are being violated with impunity in the Millennium City. Huge gatherings of people not wearing masks and maintaining social distancing are common in the city. Such scenes were witnessed at centres where the Class-X summative assessment-1 was conducted on Tuesday. What’s worse is that despite the Board of Secondary Education’s directive to conduct the assessment while adhering to guidelines, no police personnel were deployed at most of the centres to ensure social distancing.
“Had the authorities taken necessary steps for maintaining social distancing, there would have been no such rush. I am apprehending my daughter may be infected as she was caught in the crowd for some time before entering the examination hall,” said Prabhat Rout of Jobra who accompanied his daughter to Kunja Bihari High School at Chauliaganj for appearing the test.
Cuttack district was reporting less than 25 cases till December 31. But in the last 24 hours, the cases went up to 80 of which 65 were detected from the city. As many as 59 positive cases were detected on Tuesday.
The district also has been witnessing a rise in number of children getting infected with the virus. Sources said at least 5 to 8 cases are being detected among children for the last five days in the district.
A senior health official, however, has attributed the rise in infections to lack of enforcement activities and gross violation of Covid safety protocols. “Despite repeated appeals, people are flouting the safety protocols in the absence of enforcement activities,” said the officer. As the State government had banned celebration of Christmas and New Year, people thronged the rural pockets of the district and celebrated with community feasts while violating all norms in the book.