B'desh issues new anti-Covid measures

Dhaka, Jan 11 (IANS) Amid a fresh surge in Covid-19 cases, Bangladesh has issued new restrictive measures which will come into effect from Thursday onwards.

In line with the directives, people must wear masks at all gatherings, shopping malls and restaurant, or else they will face legal actions, Xinhua news agency quoted a government notice as saying.

Buses and trains should be operated at half capacity, while all sorts of open-air gatherings, including social, political and cultural functions will be banned amid fears of the Omicron variant from further spreading.

According to the measures, people will have to show their vaccine certificates to eat at restaurants and stay in hotels.

Mobile courts will initiate drives to make sure that people wear face masks and follow other health rules.

Bangladesh on Monday reported 2,231 new Covid-19 cases, the daily highest number since September 10 last year.

The 49.6 per cent jump in new cases Monday has pushed the country's total caseload to 1,595,931.

Also on Monday, the country detected the Omicron variant of Covid-19 in nine more patients, pushing the total number of cases of the new strain to 30 so far.

Three more new deaths were recorded, raising the death toll to 28,105.