Raipur, Feb 23 (PTI) In view of the rising coronavirus cases in some parts of the country, the Chhattisgarh government has asked authorities to ensure screening of people coming into the state from outside through various modes of transportation, an official said on Tuesday.

In a directive issued to divisional commissioners and district collectors on Monday, the General Administration Department (GAD) has asked them to make arrangements for COVID-19 screening and contact tracing of people entering Chhattisgarh from other states, he said.

The directive was issued in view of the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in some parts of the country, including Maharashtra, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh, the public relations department official said.

The authorities have been asked to ensure strict adherence to SOPs related to COVID-19 screening for passengers at Raipur and Jagdalpur airports, particularly for travellers arriving from Delhi and Mumbai, he said.

Besides, people visiting Chhattisgarh from states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and the Union Territory of Delhi, should be screened at railway stations, bus stands and inter- state entry points, he said, quoting the directive.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has appealed to people to follow COVID-19 guidelines and continue to wear face masks and practice social distancing to curb the spread of the infection.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)