JAGATSINGHPUR: The district administration, on Tuesday, cancelled jatra shows (opera) after instances of Covid norm violations during the shows came to the fore. Rise in cases notwithstanding, the opera groups were conducting shows in Jagatsinghpur’s Kujang area throwing all precautions to the wind.
Sources said, despite orders of strict adherence to Covid norms, few people who came to watch the jatra by Mangrajpur Cultural Parishad of Kujang block were seen in masks and the number of viewers crossed the stipulated limit of 2,000 people. After complaints from locals of gross violation by organisers and audience alike, the permission to hold jatra was cancelled by district administration.
After detection of the first Omicron case in the district on December 21, 12 more cases have been recorded to date. Another 60 cases were detected on the day in the district, taking the tally of active cases to 234.
Meanwhile, administration in a review meeting on the day has decided to open three CCCs including a 70-bed centre at Paradip College women’s hostel, 30-bed CCC at a rented housing complex in Paradip and another at Sarala Kalyan Mandap in Jagatsinghpur. “Health staff have been pressed into service for contact tracing and 18 samples of their family members collected,” said Sukant Kumar Dalai, medical superintendent. Meanwhile, Covid cases are witnessing an alarming rise in Kalahandi, Ganjam and Angul districts.
While Kalahandi reported 99 cases (tally of active cases now at 343) on Tuesday, Ganjam witnessed a major leap with 111 cases. Administrations of both districts have stepped up restrictions keeping in mind the upcoming Makar Sankranti festival. Besides, MKCG MCH, two DCHs at Ashwini, Tata and CCCs at Meenakhinagar and Bidyutpuri have been readied to tackle any emergency.
Angul district administration has also decided to activate one of the two Covid Hospitals (CHs) at MCL’s Central Hospital premises with 90 general beds with oxygen cylinders and 30 ICU beds with eight ventilators. CCCs at Banarapal, Chhendipada and Angul with 500 beds in each have also been readied.