Coronavirus | Amid surge in circumstances, Punjab CM orders stricter curbs from today

Amid surge in COVID-19 circumstances, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday ordered stricter restrictions starting April 20, together with extension of evening curfew timings (8 p.m. to five a.m.) and closure of all bars, cinema halls, gyms, spas, teaching centres and sports activities complexes. Restaurants and inns will likely be open just for takeaway and residential supply from Monday to Saturday.

Gatherings of greater than 20 individuals, together with for weddings and cremations, have additionally been banned throughout the State and prior approval of the district administration is required for all gatherings of greater than 10 individuals, aside from cremation.

The new restrictions, which additionally embody closure of all malls, retailers and markets on Sunday, coupled with those imposed earlier, will stay in impact until April 30, the Chief Minister introduced. He directed the police division to strictly implement the restrictions, taking the assist of civil society organisations wherever wanted. All weekly markets have been ordered to shut.

Chairing a high-level digital assembly to evaluation the COVID-19 state of affairs, Capt. Singh stated all individuals flying into Punjab ought to have a unfavorable RT-PCR end result no more than 72 hours previous or they must bear RAT testing on the airport. He ordered that individuals who have attended giant gatherings anyplace (non secular, political, social) have to be mandatorily dwelling quarantined for five days and examined as per protocol.

The Chief Minister directed the transport division that variety of individuals in buses, taxis and autos be restricted to 50% of the capability.

In a bid to examine inbound travellers, the Chief Minister directed that Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) cubicles be arrange at bus stands and railway stations and all passengers have to be checked. All eligible individuals needs to be vaccinated.

While reviewing the state of affairs in non-public and authorities hospitals, Capt. Singh directed 75% reservation of L-3 services for COVID-19 in all non-public hospitals offering essential care. He stated no elective surgical procedures needs to be carried out in any authorities or non-public hospitals until May 15 and all OPD sufferers have to be examined and inspired to be vaccinated.

Jump in positivity price

Health Secretary Hussan Lal, in a presentation, stated the State’s positivity price that was static at 7.8% had proven a quantum soar, going as much as 12.6% as of April 15, with Mohali being the worst hit at 36.53%. The spike, he stated, could possibly be attributed to the brand new variant and other people coming again from giant gatherings exterior Punjab.

The determine was anticipated to go up additional with extra testing, he stated, including that by May 5, the State was projected to report 6,000 circumstances a day if pressing measures weren’t carried out in districts of Ludhiana, SAS Nagar (Mohali), Jalandhar, Amritsar and Patiala, which might be the drivers of the spike.