K’taka, Arunachal, Meghalaya announce mini lockdowns
Move a part of cluster containment plans in wake of alarming rise in Covid cases
NEW DELHI: A number of states on Saturday reimposed
lockdowns as part of cluster containment plans in the wake of alarming rise in coronavirus cases with the duration of one of these restrictions as brief as two days.
On Saturday, Karnataka, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya were among some states that announced lockdowns, including area-wise, for varying periods.
Shops and business estab
lishments, other than those dealing with essential services, remained closed. People have been advised to stay at home and not venture out unless it was absolutely necessary.
The Karnataka government in the evening announced complete lockdown in Benga
luru urban and rural for one week from July 14.
"As COVID-19 cases are increasing in the state day by day, based on the advice of experts complete lockdown will be imposed in Bengaluru urban and Bengaluru rural for one week from July 14 Tuesday 8 pm to 5 am on July 22," Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said in a statement.
As of July 11 evening, cumulatively 36,216 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 613 deaths and 14,716 discharges, a government bulletin said. Bengaluru urban district tops the list of positive cases, with a total of 16,862 infections. In Assam, the ongoing lockdown in Kamrup Metropolitan district, under which Guwahati city falls, has been further extended for a week from July 12 due to large-scale spread of COVID-19 cases.
Assam Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna said the 14-day lockdown in the district was scheduled to end at 6 pm on Sunday but the district magistrate reported that rising cases may be a major threat to public health, hygiene and safety of the general population.
"Due to extensive testing, isolation and other restrictive measures, community spread of COVID-19 has been contained to some extent and this necessitates further extension of prohibitory measures to contain the spread of the pandemic," he stated.
The lockdown in Arunachal Pradesh's capital complex was extended for another week in view of the spurt in COVID-19 cases in the region, a top official said on Saturday.
The state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Pema Khandu took the decision to extend the total lockdown in the capital region for another week till 5 am on July 20, Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar said.
The previous lockdown which was imposed in the capital complex comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa on July 6 was scheduled to end at 5 pm on July 13.
In Uttarakhand, a threeday lockdown was imposed from Saturday in Kashipur in Udham Singh Nagar district, which alone accounted for 41 of the 68 cases reported in the state on Friday. Strict lockdown restrictions were also reimposed on Saturday in parts of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district following a spike in coronavirus cases.
A 10-day lockdown will be imposed in Pune, PimpriChinchwad and a few other parts of the district starting July 13. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
Nagaland has decided to extend the ongoing lockdown in the state till July 31. The ongoing lockdown in the state was supposed to end on July 16. The Meghalaya government announced a two-day total lockdown in capital Shillong from Monday. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the decision was taken to contain the spread of COVID-19, besides ensuring behavioural changes among citizens to follow coronavirus-related guidelines.
Earlier in the day, the state reported 76 new cases, taking the total to 312.