COVID-19 curfew extended in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal and Berasia till this date as cases dip

Image used for representational purpose

New Delhi: The 'corona curfew' in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal and Berasia towns on Sunday was extended till May 24 and only essential services and emergency travel are exempted from the ambit of the curfew.

The curfew was first imposed on April 12 has been extended multiple times in afforts to curb the spread of the deadly infection. The curfew was supposed to end at 6am on May 17.

The order was passed by Collector Avinash Lavaniya, an official told PTI.

Lavania has issued the order using the powers conferred under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. The order states that the curfew has been extended within the Bhopal Municipal Corporation area and Berasia municipality area.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday claimed that the COVID-19 positivity rate in Madhya Pradesh has come down from 24 per cent earlier to 10.68 per cent now, with some districts showing less than five detections per 100 tests.

In a video clip released to media outlets, the CM claimed "we have been successful in containing the pandemic" as the positivity rate was "falling day by day". Chouhan said that treatment is being offered in the state for free of cost, especially to the poor and the middle class, under the Mukhyamantri COVID Upchar Yojana.

The COVID-19 caseload in Bhopal, as on Saturday, was 1,12,226, including 838 deaths.