NEW DELHI: Amid a surge in cases of the Omicron variant across the country, the Centre on Tuesday advised states to impose night curfews and carefully manage mass gatherings. The announcement comes a day after the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that increased social interaction during the holiday period will lead to an increase in cases, overwhelm health systems, and result in more deaths. With surging crowds in the pre-Christmas and New Year celebrations, along with the wedding season, Omicron cases in the country surpassed 200 on Tuesday.
Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan asked states to reduce the number of people attending weddings and funerals. He also advised to restrict the numbers in offices, industries, and public transportation. Based on the existing scientific findings, Omicron is at least three times more transmissible than the Delta strain, said Bhushan.
The Centre recommended strategies for restrictions and containment, keeping the ‘district’ as a unit. Bhushan advised that at the district level, data of the population affected by covid-19, geographical dispersion, hospital facilities and its utilisation, manpower, reporting containment zones, and enforcement of perimeter of containment zones be reviewed on a regular basis.
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