Lucknow has banned open sale of all kinds of meat as a precautionary measure against the spread of the novel coronavirus or COVID-19.
An order issued by the district magistrate on Thursday states that civic authorities are to ensure that there is no open sale of meat like chicken and fish. Areas where animals reside in the open will undergo fogging.
Markets where animals are sold and places where animals are slaughtered will also be off limits to the public. Also, open slaughtering of animals will not be permitted.
Frozen meat has also come under the ambit of the order and sale of such product has been banned, as has the sale of semi-cooked and half boiled meat.
Not just meat, fruits have also been brought under the ban and open sale of cut fruits is to be stopped throughout the district with immediate effect.
Coronavirus is a large family of virus which causes respiratory ailments but COVID-19 is a previously undetected strain. Though other strains are not known to spread through fruits as the virus needs a human or animal host to survive, this being a novel strain, overarching precautions have been taken.
Though the chief minister has announced his intention of not being part of any public Holi celebrations as a measure of precaution, the DM's order has called for organisation of chaupals (public meetings) to disseminate information about the virus and preventive measures to be adopted. The CM has also urged people to concentrate on preventive measures instead of panicking.
A coronavirus control room has been set up with a fixed line and mobile numbers. Both these numbers are to be widely publicised.
There has been no positive case of the virus detected in Lucknow district as yet. In Agra, six cases with a high viral load have been detected. These were found in members of the same family which had returned from Italy after a recent vacation.