Bihar government declares Coronavirus as an Epidemic disease; Notifies it in Bihar Gazette

Bihar Govt has notified COVID-19 as an Epidemic disease in the Bihar gazette.  The regulation has been named as "The Bihar Epidemic Diseases, COVID- 19, Regulation 2020".

Invokes Epidemic Diseases Act

The regulation has given a few special powers to the government. That is, if a suspected case of COVID-19 refuses admission or isolation, the officers authorized shall have powers to forcefully admit an isolate such case for a period of 14 days from the onset of symptoms. The district administration has the powers to arrest any individual under section 133 of IPC if the owner of any premises confirmed with COVID-19  refuses to take measures for prevention or treatment. 

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See the documents here: 

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Principal Secretary Health Department, Govt of Bihar, Sanjay Kumar said, "Bihar govt has notified it as an epidemic disease in the Bihar Gazette as "The Bihar Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 Regulation 2020, as it's a question of public safety and the way COVID-19 is spreading all across the world including different states in India. We have conducted 69 tests until now, but no positive case has been reported to date. There is a screening being done at Patna and Gaya airport. Checkups are being done at  49 transit facility on the Indo-Nepal border."

He added, "Two government-owned hotels have been converted into quarantine facilities in Patna and Gaya. We have directed the private and govt hospitals to maintain a travel history of those patients who have travelled abroad ."

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Bihar Govt Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar said, "We are taking preventive measures to avoid the spread of the disease. Constant monitoring of passengers who have travelled abroad at Patna airport is being done. Two senior officers with doctors are deployed at the airport."

This regulation of  "The Bihar  Epidemic disease COVID-19, Regulation 2020 comes into effect from 17th March 2020 and shall be valid for a period of one year from the publication of the notification of declaring COVID-19 as an epidemic disease.

Bihar govt had earlier decided to shut all schools, colleges and issued directive to avoid public gathering. 

On the advice of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the budget session of the Bihar assembly was also prorogued (discontinued ) midway keeping in mind the COVID-19.

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