COVID-19: Haryana minister says stricter curbs may be imposed to check spread of virus

With some Haryana districts falling in the National Capital Region seeing a surge in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, Home Minister Anil Vij on Tuesday indicated that stricter curbs may be imposed in the worst-affected areas to contain spread of the infection.

With some Haryana districts falling in the National Capital Region seeing a surge in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, Home Minister Anil Vij on Tuesday indicated that stricter curbs may be imposed in the worst-affected areas to contain spread of the infection. Of the over 22,000 cases in the state as of Tuesday, three districts alone--Gurgaon, Faridabad and Sonipat, all of which fall in the NCR, contributed to nearly 15,000 of the cases and also to nearly 75 per cent of the total fatalities.

Talking to reporters in Ambala, Vij, who is also the State's Health Minister, said the state's recovery rate is over 75 per cent, which is quite good. He also said adequate arrangements including isolation facilities, doctors, medicines etc. are there to deal with the novel coronavirus cases. "Our priority is to treat these patients with the best of resources at our disposal. Still, the cases which are increasing, these are going up in districts adjoining Delhi. "Eighty per cent of our total cases come from these districts (Gurgaon, Faridabad, Sonipat, Jhajjar). If need arises, in the interest of Haryana, if we have to impose stricter curbs to contain spread of infection we will not hesitate to do so," said Vij.

When asked if the state government could impose lockdown and other stricter measures in the worst-affected areas, Vij replied, "in Haryana's interest, whatever is required to be done, I will do that." Earlier two months ago, while citing a sharp increase in coronavirus cases in Haryana districts adjoining Delhi, Vij had ordered sealing of borders with the national capital. Recently, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala had said the government will increase testing, hospital beds and ventilators to tackle coronavirus infection in some of the NCR districts which have been worst-hit by the pandemic.

Special attention will be paid to the districts of Gurgaon, Faridabad, Sonipat, Rohtak and Jhajjar, Chautala had told reporters after a meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and attended by chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi..

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