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Pune, Durg, Chhindwara: Fresh Covid-19 restrictions imposed in these districts
Maharashtra's Pune district has 64,599 active Covid-19 cases, the highest in the country. Chhattisgarh's Durg on Thursday reported 996 fresh infections.
In the last 24 hours, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh recorded the highest number of Covid-19 infections, contributing to India's single-day rise of 81,466 Covid-19 cases — the highest in six months. With this steady spike, the question of imposing fresh restrictions becomes imminent. Some state governments have already started responding to the situation.
Fresh restrictions have been announced in these areas:
Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh on Thursday reported 4,617 fresh infections in its highest single-day spike since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020 March. Raipur and Durg are the worst-hit districts with 1,327 and 996 new cases, respectively — in the last 24 hours.
> Durg district administration has announced a complete lockdown in the district from April 6 to 14.
> There is a strict night curfew order in many of Chhattisgarh districts, including Raipur. This was imposed in March. Under these, all shops are allowed to function between 6am to 9pm, while restaurants, dhabas, hotels can remain open between 8am and 10pm.
> Chhattisgarh secretariat and directorate offices have been instructed to function with 50 per cent staff strength, as many government staff contracted the infection in the past few days.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday directed district authorities to decide on imposing lockdowns, following which the Durg administration announced the fresh restrictions on Friday.
Maharashtra
All districts of Maharashtra have already been placed under a night curfew till April 15.
Pune district, which has 64,599 active Covid-19 cases, the highest in the country at present, has on Friday ordered all bars, hotels and restaurants to remain closed for seven days, starting from tomorrow.
There will be a 12-hour night curfew in Pune from April 3, 6pm.
Pune district has also prohibited the gathering of more than five persons.
In Nagpur, which was under lockdown till March 31, restrictions have been withdrawn and Maharashtra's Aurangabad district has taken back a lockdown decision recently.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is likely to announce stricter curbs on Friday.
Madhya Pradesh
Chhindwara, Ratlam, Betul and parts of Khargone districts in Madhya Pradesh have been put under lockdown, which will start from Friday night. The restrictions will be in place till April 5, news agency PTI reported. Sunday lockdown in 12 cities, including Gwalior, Ujjain, Vidisha, Narsinghpur, Sausar (Chhindwara district), Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Betul, Ratlam, Chhindwara and Khargone will continue as before.
