Most areas of WB's Hooghly declared COVID-19 containment zones

West Bengal government declared most of the areas of Hooghly district as COVID-19 containment zones. Any office, whether that of the government or a private entity, has been prohibited from opening in those areas.

Kolkata: Most parts of Hooghly district in West Bengal was declared as COVID-19 containment zones by the state government, a senior official said on Tuesday.

All wards of the municipalities of Uttarpara Kotrang, Dankuni, Srerampore, Rishra, Konnagar, Baidyabati, Champadani, Chandannagar, Bhadreshwar have been identified as COVID-19 containment zones, he said.

The gram panchayats of Raghunathpur in Srerampore Uttarpara block, Kumirmora, Bhagwatipur, Haripur of Chanditala I block and Garalgacha, Barijhati of Chanditala II, Mundalika, Kotalpur and Dilakhas under the Hooghly (Rural) Police District have also been identified as containment areas, an order issued by the office of the district magistrate said.

Areas under the gram panchayats of Rashidpur, Rajbhalhat I, Rabhalhat II of Jangipara block have been also been declared containment zones, the order stated.

Though there have not been many cases in the district, we are imposing the restrictions as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of the virus. Nobody will be allowed to go out, and nobody will be allowed to come in, a senior official of the Hooghly district administration told PTI.

Any office, whether that of the government or a private entity, has been prohibited from opening in these areas which are affected or susceptible to be infected, the order said.

The instruction further stipulates that only a few private and commercial establishments like IT and ITES, e-commerce of essential goods, banks, NBFC are allowed to be 25 per cent manpower. Other private offices to remain closed," it stated.

Till Monday evening, West Bengal witnessed 12 deaths due to COVID-19, and 330 positive cases.

(PTI report)