Maharashtra Govt Issues Fresh Restrictions Owing To Covid-19 Surge In The State

Owing to the surge in Covid-19 cases in the state, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday issued fresh restrictions to be imposed in the state from 8pm on April 22 to 7am on May 1.

As per the orders, attendance in government offices reduces to 15%, except departments engaged in emergency services. Also, all private offices that were allowed to function as part of the exempted category to have been asked to reduce attendance from 50% to 15%.

“Marriage ceremony may be conducted only as a single event in a single hall not extending beyond 2 hours with maximum of total 25 persons attending the same. Any family seen to be flaunting the restraints or not following these in letter and spirit may be fined Rs 50,000,” said Maharashtra govt in its order.

The move comes after Maharashtra on Wednesday regsitered 67,468 fresh Covid019 cases, taking its tally beyond the 40 lakh mark, while 568 more patients succumbed to the infection, pushing the statewide toll to 61,911, said a state health department official.

The tally of 67,468 infections, the second highest single-day count so far, pushed the COVID-19 caseload of Maharashtra to 40,27,827.

The highest statewide daily count so far – 68,631 – was reported on April 18.

There was a meeting of the Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday. In this meeting, most of the ministers appealed for complete lockdown in the state. After the cabinet meeting, Health Minister Rajesh Tope had said that in the past two weeks more than 50 thousand cases of Coronavirus have been reported daily in Maharashtra, but people are violating the restrictions on movement and public gathering. In such a situation, lockdown is the only solution.