Lockdown in Maharashtra's Amravati, Achalpur extended amid rise in COVID-19 cases

The lockdown in Maharashtra's Amravati and Achalpur has been extended till March 8. A total lockdown of seven days was imposed in Amravati city and Achalpur town on February 21 which has now been extended due to an increase in coronavirus cases.

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Amravati: Amid a surge in coronavirus cases in the past few days, the lockdown in Maharashtra's Amravati and Achalpur has been extended till March 8. The weekend lockdown was supposed to be in place from 8 pm on Saturday (February 20) to 7 am on Monday (February 22), which has now been extended to a week's time.

In the lockdown, shops, except those dealing in essential commodities, have been ordered to remain shut along with educational institutions, coaching classes, training schools etc. While cinema houses, gyms, swimming pools, parks have been ordered to remain shut and gatherings for entertainment, educational, cultural, religious purposes etc were not permitted.

On February 21, a total lockdown of seven days was imposed in Amravati city and Achalpur town which has now been extended for a week due to an increase in daily coronavirus cases. The Amravati district administration had announced weekend lockdown in Amravati, and restrictions were imposed in Yavatmal after two new mutations were found in the regions. 

Apart from the week-long lockdown in Amravati, certain restrictions were also put in place in four other districts of Amravati division - Akola, Washim, Buldhana and Yavatmal- with a view to curb the spread of the disease. 

On Friday, Maharashtra reported 8,333 new cases of coronavirus which takes the state's total infections to 21,38,154. While Mumbai registered 1,034 fresh cases of coronavirus on Friday which took city's active case tally to 9,315.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan warned that a night curfew might be reimposed if required to curb the spread of COVID-19 and asked people not to travel to Maharashtra as the neighbouring state witnesses a sharp rise in cases.

“I appeal to people, that if possible, they should avoid visiting Maharashtra where coronavirus is spreading fast, especially those living in border districts,” Chouhan said in his address to the people of the state.