Maharashtra extends lockdown till Jan 31 amid new strain of COVID-19

Mumbai, Dec 30: Ahead of the new year and amid the new strain of the COVID-19 found in the UK, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday extended the lockdown till January 31. The state government on November 27 had issued an order for the imposition of the lockdown till December 31.

 

As per the order, the lockdown was ordered under Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 to operationalize 'Mission Begin Again' - an effort to open up the state after several months of lockdowns due to the coronavirus.

 

 

The government had earlier allowed district collectors to impose night curfew in their respective jurisdictions after taking prior permission from the chief secretary of the state.

 

"Night curfew (not more than 5 persons to assemble between 11 PM to 6 AM) will be in force from December 22 till January 5, 2021 in the limits of all municipal corporations of the state. The concerned competent authorities to issue necessary directions regarding the same in their respective jurisdictions," a press release by the Department of Revenue and Forest, Disaster Management, Relief and Rehabilitation said.

 

Earlier, it was reported that six UK returnees have been found positive for the new UK variant coronavirus genome in India. The Union Health Ministry informed that samples of three UK returnees have been tested and found positive for new UK strain in NIMHANS, Bengaluru, two in Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad and one in National Institute of Virology, Pune.

 

Maharashtra Tuesday reported 3,018 new COVID-19 cases, 5,572 discharges, and 68 deaths, as per State Health Department. The total number of cases now stands at 19,25,066, including 18,20,021 recoveries, 55,672 active cases, and 49,373 deaths. The Recovery rate in the state is 94.54 per cent.