Mumbai, Dec 22: After a new variant of Covid-19 virus was detected in Britain, the Maharashtra government announced the imposition of a night curfew in all the municipal corporation limits from 11 pm to 6 pm is from December 22 to January 5.

 

These decisions were announced after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray chaired a meeting to review the new variant of the COVID-19 detected in the UK. "Due to this new virus of the corona, extra precautions are being taken in the state and we must be more vigilant for the next 15 days. The new coronavirus found in the UK is spreading rapidly and the danger of the virus will be known in the next few days, so the state is being put on high alert from today (Monday)," said Thackeray.

 

The Chief Minister announced that passengers from the UK and the Middle East will have to remain in compulsory institutional quarantine for 14 days after landing at the airports in Maharashtra. They will also be subjected to an RT-PCR test on the fifth or seventh day after quarantine.

 

Further, he directed Municipal Commissioners across the state to arrange hotels and independent hospitals to quarantine such passengers. He also directed to set up a separate hospital for passengers from Europe if they have symptoms of the new virus. The chief minister said passengers from other countries will be checked and stamped with their hands and will be home quarantined.

 

He said there was no need for a fresh lockdown and night curfew. He had instead urged people to continue to observe self-discipline as the threat of virus still existed. He said, "There is a difference between a night curfew and a lockdown. While in lockdown, people cannot step out of their homes, in a curfew, more than five people cannot assemble outside." Additionally, the government has imposed a 14-day institutional quarantine for passengers arriving from Europe and the Gulf. Passengers landing in Mumbai from abroad will have to undergo home quarantine as a precautionary measure.

 

Following this decision, it is understood that there will be no grand parties or public events on December 31 to usher in the New Year. The government has hinted at action against organizers of such parties in Mumbai and other cities.

 

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal clarified that the curfew had been imposed to prevent people from meeting in hotels etc. Essential services will not be affected during the curfew period. People travelling at night will not be stopped.