Chandigarh Imposes Night Curfew; Himachal Restricts Gathering of People at Marriages, Funerals to 50

The Chandigarh administration on Tuesday decided to impose a night curfew as a step to curb the rising number of cases in the Union Territory. As per an official directive, curfew hours are between 10 pm and 5 am, during which time only essential services will be allowed to function. The city is witnessing a surge in the number of infections. On April 4, Chandigarh reported 341 cases, the highest single-day rise this year.

No gatherings will be allowed during the curfew hours, and all restaurants must shut down by 10 pm. Hospital authorities have been asked to ensure all health workers get themselves vaccinated at the earliest. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chandigarh administrator, V P Singh Badnore, who said stricter measures like weekend curfew, closure of ‘Apni Mandis’ and other crowded places will be considered if people don’t follow Covid-appropriate behaviour.

Addressing the meeting, Director Health Services, Dr Amandeep Kang stated that they have conducted 31,394 Covid-19 tests so far and found the positivity rate at 12.7%. In the month of March, 2021, the positivity rate was 9.1% and the fatality rate was 0.5% and added that the recovery rate was 87.3%. She also mentioned that 94,411 vaccines have been administered till date, out of which 60% of frontline workers and 54% of health workers have been vaccinated so far.

Meanwhile, amid rising cases of coronavirus infection in Himachal Pradesh, the state government on Tuesday restricted the gathering of people to 50 at indoor marriages and a maximum of 200 at outdoor events, besides a maximum attendance of 50 persons during funerals.

The decision was taken on Tuesday during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to review the Covid-19 situation in the state. It was also decided to postpone the ‘Swarnim Himachal Rath Yatra’, which was to commence from April 15, on the launch of golden jubilee celebrations of statehood of Himachal Pradesh.

The chief minister said that the decision to organise the ‘Rath Yatra’ in the state would be taken after the situation normalises. He directed the health department to take effective steps for enhancing the bed capacity in the government hospitals. He also asked to contact private hospitals of the state for making alternative arrangements of beds for coronavirus patients.

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