Amid surge, states opt for curbs on weekends

NEWDELHI/NAGPUR/KOLKATA:MORE high-risk areas were brought under lockdown on Saturday for varying periods, including weekends, by states in a bid to check the rapid rise in Covid-19 cases.

Over a dozen states have so far opted for such selective lockdowns citing the need to revive economic activities and at the same time reduce the risk of spread of infection, though Bihar and Manipur have imposed a state-wide shutdown from July 16 and July 23, respectively.

In Madhya Pradesh, a 10-day lockdown has been imposed in capital Bhopal after a spike in cases. The state has been observing total shutdown on Sundays.

A complete lockdown till Monday morning was imposed in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, which too has been enforcing shutdown every Sunday.

While Uttar Pradesh observed another weekend lockdown, similar curbs were imposed for the second time this month in

Uttarakhand’s four districts -Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar districts -- which have reported 1,348 cases since July 18.

All shops were shut and transport suspended in West Bengal as part of the twice-a-week lockdown in the state.

Jammu went into a 60-hour lockdown from Friday, while a six-day complete lockdown has been imposed in Kashmir except Bandipora from Thursday.

In its most recent update, the union health ministry placed the total number of cases at 1,336,861 and the death toll at 31,358.

In worst-affected Maharashtra, where over 350,000 cases have been recorded, civic authorities of Nagpur city announced a voluntary ‘janta curfew’ on Saturday and Sunday, when only essential services will remain functional.

A complete lockdown was imposed in Nagaland capital Kohima till July 31, while it will come into effect in Dimapur from Sunday.meghalaya has announced a lockdown in Shillong from July 26 to July 29.