In the wake of the escalating coronavirus cases across the state, the Madhya Pradesh government announced on Wednesday night that the Sunday lockdown would be extended to four more districts. Betul, Chhindwara, Ratlam, and Khargone are the four districts that will be under Sunday lockdown. Saturday’s lockdown will commence at 10 p.m. and end at 6 a.m. on Monday.
Last week, Sunday lockdowns were enforced in Bhopal, Indore, and Jabalpur. After the cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan informed his ministry colleagues about the coronavirus situation. The decision comes as the state continues to see an increase in daily COVID-19 cases in recent days.
Now Madhya Pradesh government has imposed Sunday lockdown in four more cities –Khargone, Betul, Chhindwara, and Ratlam after a surge in Covid-19 cases to more than 50, an officer of the home department said.
Only 50 people can attend a wedding ceremony and only 20 people can participate in the last rites in cities where more than 20 cases are identified daily, and in districts where the average number of new cases per week is more than 20. Swimming pools, gyms, and movie theatres will all be closed in those areas. Restaurants in those areas would only be able to provide take-out service. Public halls will be permitted to operate at 50% capacity.
The Panchayat and Rural Development Department have directed all officials of a district panchayat to keep a log of visitors to the village and to ensure that people suspected of having Covid-19 are tested and placed in 14-day home isolation.
Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday reported 1,712 new COVID-19 cases, taking its case tally to 2,80,289. Seven fatalities increased the death toll to 3,919. As many as 950 people were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, taking the count of recoveries in Madhya Pradesh to 2,66,323. Only two out of 52 districts in the state did not report a new case of infection during the day.
