The Pune district administration on Sunday announced new restrictions on nighttime movement, schools, large gatherings and operations of eateries and bars amid a jump in new coronavirus infections, reported The Indian Express. Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar chaired a Covid-19 review meeting with the district health and administrative machinery.
Following the meeting, Pune Divisional Commissioner Saurabh Rao held a media briefing to announce the decisions that were taken in the meeting. “From 11 pm to 6 am, no public movement will be allowed except for those involved in essential services, in view of rising Covid-19 cases,” Rao said, according to ANI. “Schools and colleges in the district will remain closed till February 28. New guidelines to be effective from tomorrow [Monday].”
Hotels will be shut at 11 pm instead of 1 am and no essential activities will be permitted on roads between 11 pm and 6 am, according to The Hindu. Rao said that virus “hotspots” had been identified in the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations, and that micro-containment zones would be formed to rein in the infection spread.
Limited curfew would be imposed between 11 pm and 6 am from Monday, and people may step out of homes only for essential work. Private tuitions will remain shut, with the ones providing classes for civil services allowed to operate at 50% capacity. Marriage functions would require prior police permission. While no restriction was put on inter-district transport, travellers and transport agencies were asked to follow coronavirus protocol.
On Saturday, coronavirus cases in Pune district rose to 3,97,431 with 849 new infections. After six more deaths were reported, the city’s toll reached 9,177, according to Pune Mirror. Meanwhile, Maharashtra has 49,630 active cases, 51,753 deaths, and 19,92,530 recoveries as of Sunday morning.
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