Odisha Enforces Epidemic Diseases Act to Prevent COVID-19

Bhubaneswar: In a bid to prevent outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID 19) in the State, the Odisha Government has enforced the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 empowering senior officials including Collectors and Municipal Commissioners to take necessary measures to deal with the situation.

The State Health & Family Welfare Department has empowered Director Medical Education and Training (DMET), Director Public Health and Director Health Services to take necessary action for prevention of COVID-19 across Odisha.

Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Department, Nikunja Bihari Dhal has written a letter to DMET, Director Public Health and Director Health Services in this regard.

The Department also empowered Collectors and Municipal Commissioners by invoking the provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, to take necessary steps in their respective jurisdictions.
“This Notification shall come into force with immediate effect,” the order said.

“Over 100 countries have now reported laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 and World Health Organisation(WHO) has declared current novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International concern,” the notification added.

Since, new COVID-19 positive cases are being reported everyday in India (over the past one week), it was felt necessary to take measures for preventing and containing the spread of COVID-19 infection in Odisha.

Therefore, exercising the powers conferred by Sub-section(1) of Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 (3 of 1897), the State Government empowered the aforementioned officials to prevent the outbreak of such disease or the spread thereof within their respective jurisdiction.