Goa State Election Commission issues advisory to prevent COVID-19 spread during Zila Panchayat polls

The Goa State Election Commission on Wednesday issued a notification pertaining to precautionary measures to be taken to combat coronavirus during Zila Panchayat polls.

The electoral body directed all the Review Officers and Assistant Review Officers to ensure that all polling stations are sanitised and mopping is done with the help of disinfectants such as Dettol and Lyzol.

It also instructed the officials to provide adequate provisions of washing hands at all the polling booths.

The Zila Panchayat polls are scheduled to take place on March 22. There are around 1,237 polling booths across the region.

Over 8.91 lakh voters will decide the fate of 203 candidates.

In the advisory, the poll body further stated, "In case any person experiences discomfort with respect to health, then he/she may be referred to the Medical Team available at the disposal of ROs."

The officials have also been asked to create awareness among the masses who will cast their ballot.

More than 11,500 people were infected with the novel coronavirus globally on Tuesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases above 179,000, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in its latest coronavirus situation report.

A total of 475 people died from the infection on Tuesday, raising the global death toll to 7,426, the report stated.

A total of 147 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported across India so far, the health ministry said on Wednesday.