In order to contain the spread of coronavirus, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has announced closure of all shops-malls except those selling essential items in Gandhinagar as well after ordering this in four metros of Surat, Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Rajkot till March 25, said a release.
In these five cities, shops selling essential items like milk, vegetables, food items, medicines, medical equipment, as well as hospitals and laboratories, will remain open, while all others will remain closed till March 25.
It was also decided that government offices will operate with 50 per cent class III and IV employees working on a rotation basis till March 29, though the rule will not be applicable to employees working in essential services of local self governance institutions and those working towards controlling coronavirus, said the release.
Till now 14 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been found in Gujarat.
In his message to the citizens on Sunday, CM Rupani said the decision has been taken to to ensure people do not come out of their houses without any emergency.
“For three days, we need not come out without emergency (in five cities). If people maintain this, we can come out of this very serious situation,” he said, adding that factories should also be closed for these four days so that people do not have to go out for work.
“Once cities are secured, the state will be secured. Hence, I appeal the people to support us. Milk, vegetable store, financial services, banking, etc. will continue to operate,” he said.
Rupani said 4,271 people are under self-isolation across the state, and government has started 31 quarantine homes for people who have returned from abroad or those who were in contact with such people.
“The fact is that we are going into second and third stage (of coronavirus spread). So far in Gujarat, most of the cases are of people coming back from abroad. But if social contacts expand, the number (of positive cases) will increase, and this is a matter of concern. Hence, we need to be cautious,” he said.
The government is going to start infection isolation hospitals for positive cases in cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot and Vadodara, he said.
“State government and urban development authorities have started 631 quarantine homes. People who have come from abroad or those who came in contact with them can either go for self quarantine or in these homes,” he said.
He also asked for closure of factories in GIDC for a few days so that workers do not have to travel and gather in groups.
