The Puri district administration has declared the area around a hotel in Ward No 11 as a micro containment zone following the detection of three Omicron cases from the hotel.
In an order, Puri Collector Samarth Verma stated Hotel Sona International under Ward no 11 of Puri Municipality has been declared as the micro containment zone to put a check on any further spread of the virus.
The three cases of Omicron variant of Covid-19 detected in Hotel Sona International include a tourist from West Bengal and two hotel staffs.
Puri Sub-Collector Bhabataran Sahu said, "As Omicron cases have been detected in Puri, Hotel Sona International near the beach was declared containment zone following the order of the Collector. I urge all the residents of Puri and tourists coming to the town to remain alert in view of rising Covid cases. Use masks and maintain social distancing while coming out of your home."
The administration has collected swab samples of all the guests and hotel staff present in the hotel and sent those to lab for genome sequencing. All of them have been asked to remain in hotel till their test reports arrive.
All the movement in the micro containment zone is prohibited and inhabitants in the zone will not be allowed to move out. All the shopping establishments in the micro containment zone are also directed to remain closed till further orders.
However, the Puri municipality authorities will provide all the essential items including medicines to the residents of the area.
Meanwhile, in view of the rise in Covid cases the administration has urged the tourists and residents of the pilgrim town to follow the Covid appropriate behaviour.
Notably, there has been a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in Odisha with the State registering over 400 cases of the past couple of days.
On the other hand, a total of 1,892 cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus have been detected across 23 states and Union Territories so far.
(Edited By Ramakant Biswas)