No novel coronavirus case has so far surfaced in Jharkhand, but fear has infected the capital badly.

On Sunday, instead of going to malls, multiplexes or eateries, most people preferred to stay home to avoid mass contact. Mall and multiplex employees admit to dismal footfall even over the weekend. In fact, multiplex officials, staring at huge losses, are hoping the state declares a temporary lockdown.

“Since the past two weeks, which includes the extended Holi weekend last week, our business has been affected because people are simply not turning up,” said a mall employee. “Footfall has dropped by half. Earlier people used to linger at the malls for hours but now they quickly check out after buying essentials. People are avoiding the carriage trolley, such is the fear of contagion,” he added.

Pankaj Pandey, manager of Nucleus Mall located on Circular Road, chose to disagree.

“I have not noticed any such alarming situation at our mall. We have taken preventive measures. We are displaying awareness banners and LED on stopping the spread of virus. At check-in points of our mall, we offer hand sanitizers. Our security staff ensures people properly rub their hands with the sanitizer. Other than that we sanitize touch surfaces like hand railings, switches, the reception counter, knobs, lift doors,” Pandey said.

Pandey said they were planning to provide face masks to visitors. “As of now, we are requesting visitors to come with masks,” he said.

Multiplex owners and managers said they wished the state government declared a shutdown.

“We have been facing a huge loss because of the virus fear,” said a manager of a multiplex, refusing to be named.

He continued: “Almost all our multiplexes in Bihar, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and other states have been shut down by government order. Only in Jharkhand multiplexes are operating. We can’t shut them down on our own because it will be like creating panic among people. But we sincerely wish the Jharkhand government issues a notification to shut down multiplexes for the time being.”

Manager of Fun Cinema, Vimal, came on record to say that their four-screen facility at Spring City Mall cancelled the release of upcoming movies Fast and Furious and Sooryavanshi.

Quarantined at home

A Ranchi man (name withheld) who came back from The Netherlands was asked to stay in quarantine at home by RIMS authorities when he declined to stay at the RIMS isolation ward.

50-bed isolation ward

The South Eastern Railway (SER) has opened a 50-bed isolation ward in the Ranchi railway division hospital in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak, officials said on Sunday. A 24/7 emergency team has also been set up at the hospital. PTI