Businessmen voluntarily close shops in Patna market in fight against COVID-19

Shopkeepers of a market on Patna's Thakurbadi road have voluntarily closed their shops for a week in view of recent COVID-19 cases reported in the city.

Nitin Naveen, a BJP MLA, said that common people have also stepped up the fight against COVID-19 and this would surely help in winning the fight against the virus.

Usually, the government seals areas but now people have started doing so voluntarily, he said.

Shopkeepers have said that there is no pressure from the government and it is their decision.

"There is no pressure from the government. Since the cases increased, we decided to close our shops as a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19. Jaan hai to Jahaan hai (the world is there if one's life is protected)," said Rajesh Kumar, a shopkeeper.

"We have decided to keep our shops closed from today till July 12 for stisation in the area. We have arranged gloves, masks and hand stisers in our shops and we will continue to keep them," he added.

Bihar has reported 11,876 COVID-19 cases including 3,016 active cases. The number of cured/discharged/migrated cases in the state stands at 8,765 while 95 deaths have been reported due to the disease.

( With inputs from ANI )