Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has in its list of dos and dont's asked people to avoid hugging, shaking hands while greeting and keep their workplace clean to ward off coronavirus infection.
The state government issued the workplace advisory based on the containment plan prepared by the Health Ministry to tackle the Covid-19 disease.
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Asking the employers to ensure workplace cleanliness, it mentioned, "Surfaces (desks and tables) and objects (telephone, keyboards) need to be regularly wiped with disinfectant containing 70 per cent alcohol."
Soaps or sanitizing hand rub should be provided near washbasins and water supply should be ensured as frequent hand washing kills the virus and prevents spread of Covid-19, it said.
Posters should be displayed promoting respiratory hygiene, and tissue papers or masks should be made available to the employees.
The staff should be advised home isolation whenever they develop flu-like symptoms, it said.
"Please remember simple precautions and planning can make a big difference for containment of Covid19. So it is right time to prepare and protect all our countrymen," the advisory said.
Employees should be asked to avoid crowded places like malls, markets, stations unless required, and maintain a safe distance from any person having cough and running nose.
The advisory also cautioned employers against sending employees to affected countries, unless it was very urgent.
So far no coronavirus case has been confirmed in the state, said health and family welfare minister N K Das.
The advisory was issued on Tuesday, the day on which an Indian couple working in a Singaporean cargo ship was admitted to SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack, after the man developed mild fever on its arrival at Paradip port from China.
The authorities of the Paradip port had referred the couple hailing from Uttar Pradesh to the hospital after their screening.
The disease leads to illnesses ranging from common cold, fever, shortness of breath to pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.
On the other hand, two persons were admitted to separate hospitals in the State today on suspicion of novel coronavirus,
Sources in the health department said a youth from Sonepur district who returned from Dubai on February 27 was admitted to special ward at VIMSAR in Burla of Sambalpur district on Wednesday after he developed cold and fever.
Another person of Keonjhar was admitted to the district headquarters hospital after showing similar symptoms. He had recently returned to Odisha from Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The Chief Minister's Office also reviewed the situation arising out of the outbreak of the disease in the State. Two high-level meetings on the coronavirus situation were also held during the day as the total number of people under observation in the state increased to 121 with the hospitalisation of the two fresh suspects.
Odisha Health Minister said so far no coronavirus case has been confirmed in the state though over 100 people, who returned to the state from COVID-19 hit countries, have been kept under observation.
With PTI inputs