La Paz, Jan 9 : The Bolivian government announced the reinstatement of strict health measures, including mandatory school mask use, in response to rising Covid-19 cases. The protocol includes the mandatory use of masks among students, the availability of disinfectants like alcohol in schools, and adequate conditions for handwashing, said Health Minister Maria Renee Castro. Bolivian authorities declared an end to the Covid-19 health emergency in August last year, reports Xinhua news agency. However, the nation is currently facing a new outbreak, notably the JN.1 variant in the eastern region. Renee Castro said that during the initial epidemiological week of 2024, infections witnessed an 80 percent surge compared to the final week of 2023. Since the pandemic erupted in early 2020, Bolivia has reported a total of 1,211,716 Covid cases, with 22,407 deaths. /IANS