Ensure compliance of Covid-19 guidelines in Rajasthan: Gehlot to officials

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday directed officials to ensure strict compliance of COVID-19 guidelines to contain the spread of the pandemic in the state, an official statement said.

Chairing a meeting to review the COVID-19 situation in the state, Gehlot asked collectors of Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Kota, Chittorgarh, Alwar and Bhilwara, districts which are witnessing a rapid rise in cases, to ramp up testing, draw plans for creating containment zones and tracing contacts of those who test positive for the disease, it said.

He said there should be effective enforcement of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which prohibits the assembly of more than four people, in the urban areas of the state, the statement said.

Health Secretary Siddharth Mahajan briefed the chief minister on Thursday's report of COVID-19 cases, it added.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Rajasthan surged to 3,50,317 on Thursday as 3,526 more people tested positive for the disease, while the death toll climbed to 2,886 with 20 more fatalities, according to an official report.

Health Minister Subhash Garg, Chief Secretary Niranjan Arya, and Vice Chancellor of Rajasthan University of Health Sciences Dr Rajababu Panwar, among others, were present at the meeting.