E-Paper
Covid-19 cases set to cross 500 as 600 districts placed under lockdown
A total of 451 Indians and 41 foreigners have tested positive to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2, in confirmatory tests, according to data provided by the Union Health Ministry that has been attempting to prevent, or delay the disease moving to the community transmission stage.
Over 600 districts have been placed under lockdown in an effort to stop the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) that has afflicted nearly 500 across the nation. The Centre has grounded commercial airlines, stopped passenger trains and nudged state governments to severely curtail movement of people except to maintain the supply line of essential commodities services.
By Tuesday morning, the number of Covid-19 cases had increased to 492 and initial test reports from states indicated that this number would rise further. Like the UK-returned 23-year-old woman in Manipur, believed to be the first Covid-19 case in the north-east.
A total of 451 Indians and 41 foreigners have tested positive to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2, in confirmatory tests, according to data provided by the Union Health Ministry that has been attempting to prevent, or delay the disease moving to the community transmission stage.
Top central government officials who have been tracking restrictions imposed in the country said 560 districts in 32 states had been placed under complete lockdown apart from 58 more in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. The centrally administered island Lakshadweep has banned movement of passenger ships from the mainland. In all, the restrictions cover 619 districts.
In Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal suggested that the government might have been able to get the situation under control. “The biggest challenge now is to not let the situation go out of control, we need your support,” Arvind Kejriwal said on Twitter.
In neighbouring Gurgaon, Police Commissioner Muhammad Akil asked people in the city to restrict their movements. “If we think that we are not getting full cooperation, we will be forced to invoke Section 144 and impose curfew,” the city’s top police officer.
Maharashtra, which has reported the most Covid-19 cases at 101, has already ordered a statewide curfew to force people to stay indoors. Punjab, which has recorded 21 cases and one death, had been among the first to stop public transport in the state and then, impose a curfew that came into force from Monday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had yesterday signalled his displeasure at people not staying at home, will deliver his second televised address to the nation. In a tweet that made the announcement, PM Modi said he would speak on some vital issues relating to coronavirus.
