Registration on Covid portal a must as HP tightens entry rules

DHARAMSHALA : Amid rising cases, the Himachal Pradesh government has tightened entry rules, making it mandatory for visitors to register themselves on the Covid e-portal.

In his order, chief secretary Ram Subhag Singh said all interstate movement to the state will be monitored through registration on the Covid e- portal for contact tracing.

Daily or weekend commuters such as industrialists, traders, suppliers, factory workers, project proponents, service providers, government officials and people intending to commute for medical purposes for entering and exiting the state or viceversa are exempted from the restrictions subject to their registration on the portal.

Children below 18 years if accompanied by parents or guardians with vaccination certificate (double doses) or RTPCR/ RAT negative reports are exempted.

All goods carriers and movement of goods, cargo for inland and exports are exempted from the restrictions.

Restrictions re-imposed since August 14

The state government re-imposed curbs to regulate the entry of people, including tourists, on August 14 after the rise in the number of Covid-19 cases.

It is compulsory for people travelling to Himachal Pradesh to either carry a Covid-negative report or vaccination certificate (two doses).

The RT-PCR test report should not be older than 72 hours and RAT report not older than 24 hours.

Schools remain closed, buses run at 50% capacity

Schools are closed for students and the public transport is allowed at 50% of the total capacity. The latest surge in Covid-19 cases started in the last week of July.

Since July 25, the state has recorded around 6,000 cases and more than 40 deaths.

As on August 18, the total case count was 2.11 lakh and toll mounted to 3,542. The positivity rate has jumped to 2.3% from 0.9%.

Hill state sees 256 fresh Covid cases

DHARAMSHALA: With 257 fresh cases, Himachal’s case tally rose to 2,11,277, while the death toll mounted to 3,543 after one patient succumbed.

Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday directed all deputy commissioners to focus on contact tracing, especially in the rural areas, given the spike in the Covid infections, which he said, is a result of social gatherings, marriages and feasts.