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In view of the rising concerns around increasing number of Covid cases in the state, the Jharkhand government on Saturday extended the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions in the state till January 31, Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh said.
The existing restrictions which were placed since January 3 amid Covid concerns informed that educational institutions will remain closed, and bars and restaurants and other business establishments will down their shutters after 8 pm, while a maximum of 100 people will be allowed to attend events such as weddings and funerals.
The restrictions have been extended keeping in view the Covid-19 situation in the state, a notification issued by the chairman of the State Disaster Management Authority said.
Additionally, parks, swimming pools, gymnasiums, zoos, places of tourist interest, stadiums and educational institutions shall remain closed till January 31. Classes will be held in the online mode, but administrative work can be done at schools, colleges and coaching centres with half the workforce.
Cinema halls, restaurants, bars and shopping malls shall remain open till 8 pm with 50 per cent capacity. Government and private offices shall function with 50 per cent attendance.
The spread of Covid-19 cases continued unabated as 3,749 more people tested positive for the infection, while three more patients succumbed to the disease, a health bulletin said.
Meanwhile, in a related development, Jharkhand on Saturday reported its first 14 Omicron cases, a senior official said.
"Fourteen Omicron cases have been confirmed in Jharkhand," Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Arun Kumar Singh said.
He said that the 14 cases were among 87 samples sent to Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) in Bhubaneswar on January 1 for genome sequencing. One Delta variant and 32 variants of concern were also detected, Singh said.
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