Amidst the surge in Covid-19 cases and related deaths resulting in over-stretching of the state’s healthcare system, the Punjab Government on Monday extended the restrictions on movement across the State.
While the weekend lockdowns would continue, the government has extended the timing of the night curfew from 6 pm to 5 am. Presently, the curfew restrictions remain in place from 8 pm to 5 am.
Announcing the decision, the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh tweeted that the Punjab Government was enforcing lockdown from 6 pm to 5 am on weekdays and a weekend lockdown that would begin at 6 pm on Friday until 5 am on Monday.
“Due to continuous & rapid rise of #Covid19 cases in Punjab, Cabinet today has decided to impose daily lockdown from 6 PM to 5 AM and weekend lockdown from Friday 6 PM to Monday 5 AM. Urge you all to stay at home & step out only if absolutely necessary. Seek your full cooperation,” he tweeted.
The development comes as the state’s healthcare facilities, like those in the rest of the country, come under immense pressure because of the rising COVID cases and dwindling beds, oxygen, and medicines.
The Government has also ordered the closure of shops by 5 pm in rural areas and 6 pm in urban areas.
98 DEATHS, 6,318 CASES IN PUNJAB
Ninety-eight patients succumbed to the novel coronavirus on Monday while 6318 fresh cases were reported in the past 24 hours from across the state, pushing Punjab’s death toll to 8,530 and infection tally to 3,45,366.
Highest 14 casualties were reported from Patiala; followed by 11 each from Mohali and Amritsar; 10 from Ludhiana; seven each from Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, and Sangrur; six from Jalandhar; four from Bathinda; three each fromMuktsar and Pathankot; two each from Fazilka, Ferozepur, Mansa, Moga, Ropar, SBS Nagar, and Tarn Taran; and one each from Faridkot.
With 47,091 tests conducted on Monday, the state recorded a positivity rate of 13.42 percent, with several districts—including Mansa with 58.86 percent positivity rate, followed by Muktsar (25.05 percent), Tarn Taran (24.16 percent), Mohali (23.52 percent), Ferozepur (16.50 %), Fazilka (15.96%), Bathinda (15.76%), Amritsar (14.78 percent) — registering a positivity rate higher than that of the state.
Among the districts, Ludhiana registred highest 753 cases, followed by SAS Nagar with 749 cases; Jalandhar 658, Bathinda 468, Patiala 456, Amritsar 415, Mansa 382, Muktsar 277, Tarn Taran 253, Hoshiarpur 251, Pathankot 222, Gurdaspur 204, Fazilka 166, Kapurthala 166, Ferozepur 161, Sangrur 154, Faridkot 149, Ropar 147, Moga with 112 fresg cases — recording cases in three-digit.
