Amid coronavirus cases spiralling out of control across the country, the Goa government on Wednesday announced its decision to impose a lockdown in the state.
The lockdown will be effective from April 29 to May 3, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said today.
Prior to Goa, Karnataka, Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir also imposed a covid-induced lockdown to contain the spread of the virus.
While speaking to reporters in Panaji, Sawant said all essential services and industries operating in the state will be exempted from the lockdown-related curbs. Public transport will not be allowed to ply, he added.
"The lockdown will come into force on Thursday evening and remain effective till Monday morning to break the chain of the coronavirus transmission," the CM said.
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This development comes in the backdrop of India logging a record 3,293 Covid-19 fatalities during the last 24 hours. The new fatalities have pushed the country’s Covid-19 death toll to 2,01,187.
Registering a steady increase on Wednesday, the country’s active cases rose 29,78,709, comprising 16.55 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate further dropped to 82.33 per cent.
Meanwhile, Goa on Tuesday reported 2,110 fresh cases and 31 deaths, taking the tally to 81,908 and the toll to 1,086, the government had said.
"Weekly markets will not be allowed during the lockdown. Casinos will also remain shut. However, industrial services will be allowed to function," the chief minister said.
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Sawant said that casual labourers need not worry as the lockdown will be lifted on Monday morning and business activities resume.
The state administration will issue a detailed notification by Wednesday evening on the lockdown guidelines, he said.
The CM also appealed to people to take necessary precautions against coronavirus and take medicines in case of Covid-19 symptoms.
Sawant said as per the modified Covid-19 treatment protocol, medicines are offered to people at the time of testing instead of waiting for results.
"Vaccination centres will function normally during the lockdown and people will be inoculated after booking an appointment," he added.
(With PTI inputs)
