Ballia's border with Bihar's COVID-19 hotspot Siwan sealed

The authorities in Ballia in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday sealed the district's border with Bihar's Siwan which has emerged as a COVID-19 hotspot, officials said.

"After a spurt in COVID-19 cases in Bihar's Siwan district, the Siwan-Ballia border has been sealed. A ban has been imposed on road and water transportation in villages bordering Siwan and Chhapra districts of Bihar," District Magistrate, Ballia, Hari Pratap Shahi said.

Ballia shares a 50-kilometre-long border with Bihar, and touches districts of Buxar, Saran, Bhojpur and Siwan, he said.

Siwan has so far reported 29 COVID-19 cases, accounting for nearly half of the total number of people -- 60 -- having tested positive for the disease in Bihar, and emerging as a hotspot of the deadly virus.

Shahi said temporary police outposts have been established to ensure that there is no movement or transportation in the bordering areas.