COVID-19: Curbs in Yavatmal, weekend lockdown in Amravati

Authorities intwo eastern Maharashtra districts of Amravati and Yavatmal onThursday announced strict implementation of restrictions,including a weekend lockdown in Amravati, to stem the risingcases of COVID-19.

The administration in Yavatmal district ordered curbson gatherings and also closure of schools (which had reopenedfor select classes) for ten days, measures coming on a daywhen the state reported 5,427 new cases, a daily tally notseen in more than two months.

A weekend lockdown was announced in Amravati district,from 8 pm on Saturday to 7 am on Monday, a period during whichmarkets and other establishments will remain shut, butessential services will remain unaffected.

Schools (for students from Classes 5 to 9), colleges,and coaching classes in Yavatmal district will remain closedtill February 28, while only 50 persons will be permitted atweddings, Yavatmal collector D M Singh said.

Religious places will remain open but COVID-19protocols will be strictly implemented, he said.

Hotels and restaurants will be allowed to operatebetween 8 am to 9.30 pm, while markets and shops will remainopen till 8 pm, Singh said.

Amravati Collector Shailesh Naval said on weekdays,all establishments in the district, including hotels andrestaurants, would stay open only till 8 pm (from earlier 10pm).

Yavatmal collector Singh told PTI that they have notstopped anything in the district.

''However, strict enforcement of restrictions as perthe guidelines of the Government of India and Government ofMaharashtra is being implemented in the district,'' Singh said.

Both Amravati and Yavatmal fall in Vidarbha, a regionwhich has been reporting a steady rise in COVID-19 cases sincethe start of February.

Earlier, the Maharashtra government ordered collectorsof Amravati, Akola and Yavatmal districts in Vidarbha to takenecessary steps to curb the rising number of COVID-19 cases,state Minister Anil Parab said in Mumbai.

Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar also wrote to collectorsof the three districts to declare areas having highprevalence of COVID-19 as containment zones to checkfurther transmission of the disease.

Yavatmal collector Singh said the number of COVID-19cases in the district had been increasing since February 1.

Almost 80 to 90 percent of new cases were beingreported from Yavatmal, Pandharkawda and Pusad cities, hesaid.

''We have decided to conduct around 500 tests per dayin Yavatmal, Pandharkawda and Pusad municipal corporations.

Today we are ordering lockdown in Yavatmal district tillFebruary 28,'' Singh said.

''In view of a spurt in COVID-19 cases, I have decidedto impose a weekend lockdown in Amravati district. To avoidany stricter lockdown in the future, I appeal to people tofollow COVID-19 appropriate behaviour,'' Collector ShaileshNaval said.

Naval said during the weekend lockdown all markets andother establishments will remain shut. ''Swimming pools andindoor games, too, will remain closed, while only five peoplewill be allowed at religious ceremonies,'' Naval said.

According to the government, Amravati and Akola citiesreported 542 and 152 COVID-19 fresh cases, respectively, onThursday. Yavatmal district recorded 131 cases during the day.

The Akola circle, which covers the three districtsbesides Buldhana and Washim, reported 1,258 cases -- secondonly to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, which saw a rise of1,432 patients during the day.

According to an official statement, the daily COVID-19positivity rate of Akola is 32 per cent, while the same forthe week is 24 per cent.

The daily and weekly positivity rate of Amravatidistrict is 48 per cent and 35 per cent respectively, thestatement said.

Yavatmals daily and weekly positivity rate is 15 percent, the statement said.

Maharashtras daily and weekly positivity rate is 8.8per cent and 7.76 per cent, respectively, it said.

There is a need to take care given the way thenumber of cases is going up (of late).

''District collectors have been ordered to takenecessary steps to contain the spread of the disease orcontrol the number of patients there, Transport MinisterParab told reporters.

In his letter to the three collectors, Chief SecretaryKumar noted that an upsurge is being seen in COVID-19positive cases in Achalpur taluka and Amravati city (Amravatidistrict) and areas under Yavatmal, Pusad and Pandharkawadamunicipal councils in the Yavatmal district.

Similarly, the Akot and Murtizapur talukas and Akolacity in Akola district too have seen upsurge in COVID-19cases, Kumar observed.

In the light of above, you are directed to declarethe above mentioned affected areas as Containment Zones inorder to check further transmission of the COVID-19 virus.

Detailed orders regarding permissible and non-permissible activities as well as taking up all requisiteprecautionary measures in the said zones may be issued by you(district collectors) immediately, the chief secretary said.

In the statement, the government asked the authoritiesto increase contact tracing in districts which are moreaffected.

It has ordered authorities to test at least 20 to 30close contacts of a patient and bring down the positivity rateto less than 10 per cent.

Instructions have been issued to carry out 20 timesmore tests in areas where a new patient is found and toconduct RT-PCR test of patients with symptoms, the statementsaid.

The government has also asked local administrations tospray disinfectants at places like public toilets and bus andrailway stations.

The administration should ensure that the attendancefor social, religious and political events is limited andphysical distancing and mask norms are adhered to strictly.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackerayheld a meeting in Mumbai to review the situation in theVidarbha districts.

Speaking to reporters before the meeting, DeputyChief Minister Ajit Pawar noted that, till January-end, thenumber of COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals postrecovery was higher, while the number of positive patientsreported in the entire state was less.

But from February 1, the positive cases startedincreasing in different areas (of the state). In Amravatidivision, it is more evident, Pawar said.

The government last month extended the coronavirus-induced lockdown in the state till February 28, even as a lotof restrictions have been eased in the last few months.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)