Madhya Pradesh announced fresh Covid-19 curbs on Wednesday, 13 days after the first set of guidelines came into effect amid the Omicron-triggered third wave of the coronavirus pandemic in India. The fresh curbs limit the number of attendees at weddings to 250, while only 50 people will be allowed to attend funerals at a time. Fairs and public gatherings have been suspended with immediate effect. District collectors have been authorised to demarcate containment zones wherever required.The night curfew from 11pm to 5am will remain in effect, a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan decided on Wednesday while reiterating the importance of Covid-appropriate behaviour like use of face masks and frequent hand sanitisation.For the time being, schools shall remain open in the state, but with 50% attendance as decided earlier. The treatment protocol specified by the Government of India will be applicable in Covid-19 dedicated hospitals. Asserting that Covid-19 care centres should be constituted up to the Block level, Chouhan said that the number of hospital beds will be increased if and when the patient count rises.As a preventive measure, the administration has started imposing fines on those breaching face mask rules in markets and other public places.On Wednesday, Madhya Pradesh reported 594 fresh infections, including 319 in Indore, 92 in Bhopal, 58 in Gwalior, 23 in Jabalpur and 22 in Ujjain. The active cases have surged to 1,544 in the state, as per the health bulletin from the Department of Health on Wednesday. Positivity rate, however, in less than 1% in the state. With fresh cases rising by 800% in a week, healthcare officers fear that daily cases in the state could surge to 20,000 a day after three weeks. Indore in Spotlight AgainAs was the case during the first and second waves of Covid-19, Indore has yet again emerged as the hotspot of infections. The state’s commercial capital reported a total of 439 infections in December, but has recorded 965 fresh cases in the first five days of 2022. The city had reported 43 fresh cases on December 30. This number surged to 319 on January 5. The infection rate, which stood at 1.85%, jumped to 3.91% on Wednesday. Since December 21, the city has reported four Covid-19 deaths.Sources said the suggestions of the District Crisis and Management Committee will be sent to the state government to ensure stricter curbs in the city. With cases rising, the administration is setting up a Covid-19 care centre at Radhaswami Satsang Centre with 650 beds initially. Chief Medical and Health Officer, Indore, Dr BS Setya said that much to the respite of health authorities, fresh cases are not serious and deaths are only caused by comorbidities, which is why those with comorbidities need to be cautious. Spike in ChhattisgarhNeighbouring Chhattisgarh, too, has been witnessing a rise in C0vid-19 cases with the state even reporting its first Omicron infection in Bilaspur on Wednesday after a 52-year-old trader who recently returned from the UAE tested positive. Health authorities said his contacts are being traced.The positivity rate in Chhattisgarh has jumped to 4.32%, with 1,615 fresh cases. The state has already shuttered educational institutions and shopping malls in areas having infection rate in excess of 4%. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has also directed a ban on all mass gatherings, including sports, religious and cultural activities. Night curfew from 10pm to 6am will continue. Airports have been asked to carry out mandatory testing while railway stations and bordering areas will continue with random testing. The state government has also sought daily reports on availability of hospital beds, oxygen supply and medicine stocks. Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here.