Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, announced a number of restrictions in the state today to combat the spread of coronavirus, which has resurfaced in parts of the world in what Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dubbed a “second peak.” In light of the recent deadly Covid outbreak in neighboring Maharashtra, the Chief Minister has also requested that bus service to and from Maharashtra be suspended starting March 20.
The government has already ordered border officials to put passengers arriving from Maharashtra in a week-long quarantine.
Over the last 24 hours, Maharashtra reported 25,833 new cases of Covid, the most since the pandemic’s outbreak last year. There have been 58 fatalities.
Markets in areas of Madhya Pradesh will be closed from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. under the latest law.
Commercial establishments and markets have been closed in Gwalior and Jabalpur, as well as the state’s most affected districts of Ujjain, Sagar, Betul, Burhanpur, Khargone, Ratlam, and Chhindwara.
Economic activity cannot be suspended to contain the coronavirus, the Chief Minister said today during an online meeting with district officials and doctors.
To escape Covid, precautions must be closely enforced, otherwise, the government would be forced to take harsh measures, he added.
“This is a re-test of the state’s good governance. Without panicking, we must beat Corona “He continued.
The Chief Minister also ordered that the requisite preparations be made right away to raise the number of vaccines to 5 lakh per day.
In the last seven days, there have been 1,778 positive cases in Indore, 1,170 in Bhopal, 358 in Jabalpur, 185 in Gwalior, 187 in Ujjain, 162 in Ratlam, 147 in Chhindwara, 130 in Burhanpur, 110 in Betul, and 92 in Khargone.
The state has reported 917 new cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours, bringing the number to 2,71,957. One more person has died, bringing the total number of deaths to 3,894.
