E-Paper
Will ask Capt to cap number of pilgrims coming to HP: Jai Ram
Says over 1.78 lakh people have been administered vaccine in the state that is about 2.6 percent of the total population
After witnessing a descending trend in Covid-19 cases earlier this year, Himachal Pradesh is again hit by another wave of infection.
In the wake of the spike in Covid-19 cases, Himachal chief minister Jai Ram Thakur has sought assistance from his Punjab counterpart Amarinder Singh in putting a cap on the number of pilgrims for the annual Maidi fair in Una.
“Large number of pilgrims comes from Punjab. I will talk to Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh to keep tabs on the influx,” Jai Ram said after attending a videoconference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.
The Hiamchal chief minister said that PM Modi has asked all states to not only increase testing capacity, but also ensure strict implementation of various SOPs issued from time to time by the government.
He said over 1.78 lakh people had been administered vaccine in the state that was about 2.6 percent of the total population.
He said that the HP government was also keeping an eye on the situation and appropriate steps were being taken accordingly.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while virtually reviewing the situation of Covid-19 and progress in vaccination campaign in the country with the chief ministers, lieutenant governors and administrators of union territories, expressed concern over the sudden spike in the number of cases in a few states of the country.
In Himachal, a spurt that began in February last week which is still continuing with a 10% rise in the first fortnight of March.
Since the beginning of this month till March 16, Himachal has recorded 1,224 new infections compared to a total of 1,109 recorded in February.
Opening of educational institutes and relaxation are said to be responsible for the rise while authorities claim that people also have become carefree and are not following the Covid-19 guidelines.
This year, the state has recorded a total of 4,592 infections and seven deaths since January 1. The hill-state had logged 55,277 infections and 922 deaths last year. The outbreak began on March 20.
There has also been a rise in the coronavirus related deaths in the state this month.
As many as 16 people have succumbed to the contagion. Last month, the tally was 15.
The active cases have again climbed up to 820 from about 200 in the second last week of February.
Meanwhile, the state government is again considering imposing restrictions on crowd gatherings to curb the spike. In the last cabinet meeting, the government had cancelled a big fair organised on Holi at Amb of Una.
Shimla is the worst-hit district with 10,604 Covid cases, followed by Mandi with 10,329, and Kangra with 8,774. Solan has 6,939 cases, Kullu 4,482, Sirmaur 3,702, Hamirpur 3,117, Una 3,262, Bilaspur 3,029, Chamba 2,986, Kinnaur 1,387, and Lahaul-Spiti 1,258.
A total of 11,68,225 tests have been conducted in the state so far.
