The Delhi government on Friday said the coronavirus-induced lockdown will not be extended in the state, ANI reported. The Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra governments debunked rumours that the lockdowns in their states will be reimposed.
Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Delhi are the states worst hit by the pandemic. While Maharashtra has recorded 97,648 cases and 3,590 deaths, Tamil Nadu has 38,716 infections and 349 deaths. There have been 34,687 Covid-19 cases in the national Capital and 1,085 deaths till Friday afternoon, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. All three states have seen a spurt in infections this month.
The spike in infections comes at a time when the Centre has eased most of the lockdown restrictions, except in containment zones. As part of “Unlock 1”, restaurants, malls and religious places have been allowed to reopen. This is the first of a three-phase plan for a calibrated exit from the lockdown enforced to contain the spread of the coronavirus. However, states have been allowed to set their own lockdown rules, so long as the relaxations are not wider than those allowed by the Centre.
Delhi
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Friday said the lockdown in the national Capital will not be extended. This came even as Delhi has been recording over 1,000 cases every day in the past week. As part of “Unlock 1”, the Delhi government has allowed shopping malls, salons and religious places to reopen.
The minister’s clarification on lockdown norms came after there were rumours of a stricter lockdown being reimposed and ‘Relock Delhi’ trended on Twitter, according to NDTV. However, some markets in the national Capital could be shut down once again.
On Tuesday, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had estimated that by July 31, the Capital will have over 5.5 lakh coronavirus cases. He also said that central officials have ruled out the possibility of community transmission of the virus. However, Jain had said earlier in the day that the source of the infection could not be traced in 50% of the cases.
On Thursday, the toll in the national Capital crossed the the 1,000-mark as the city recorded 1,877 new Covid-19 cases and 101 more deaths.
Maharashtra
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray urged people to follow guidelines and maintain physical distancing. “The lockdown has not been reimposed,” the Chief Minister’s Office said in a tweet. “CM [Chief Minister] Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray has appealed to the people to refrain from crowding. He has earnestly requested them to follow the Govt’s [government] instructions and take necessary precautions to stay safe and take care.”
The Chief Minister’s Office issued the clarification after rumours spread on social media that a full lockdown would be reimposed. Maharashtra Tourism and Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray also tweeted on Friday, asking people not to spread fake news. “Please do not give into fake news about lockdown,” he tweeted. “As of now [Mission] Begin Again is in motion.”
From June 3, the state began easing Covid-19 lockdown restrictions and termed it as ‘Mission Begin Again’. The state allowed citizens to access public places like parks garden, beaches, promenades for physical activities between 5 am and 7 pm. However, educational institutions, passenger movement by trains, cinema halls, malls, gymnasiums, religious places continue to remain shut.
Movement of people via taxi, cabs, rickshaws and two-wheelers was allowed for essential purposes from June 5. The state government had said that private offices can start working with no more than 10% strength from June 8.
State Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Thursday said there will be 500 more Intensive Care Unit beds in Mumbai, the worst-affected city with 53,985 Covid-19 cases alone, the Hindustan Times reported. He also suggested resuming limited number of train services. A day earlier he said there was no community transmission of the coronavirus in the state.
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday clarified that the government had no plans of implementing stricter lockdown measures. “False news is being spread under my name on social media about the government planning stricter lockdown measures,” he said. “The government has no such plans. Stern legal action will be taken against those who spread such rumours. The government has not issued any such order.”
The state government also told the Madras High Court during a hearing that there was no plan to impose a complete lockdown in Chennai and other places, according to PTI. When the court asked how it planned to deal with the sharp increase in cases, the government’s counsel said that it would take other stringent steps. The court had on Thursday asked the E Palaniswami-led government if a full lockdown can be reimposed in Chennai and its suburbs.
According to the state government’s guidelines issued late last month, showrooms and big shops were allowed to reopen, except in containment zones. The guidelines also permitted e-commerce activities including delivery of non-essential items, but only outside Chennai. In Chennai, they mandated that shops and showrooms can function with 50% of the employees. Only five customers are to be permitted inside the shops, and air conditioned has been prohibited.
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