Gujarat extends night curfew in eight cities till August 1, allows more relaxations- Check COVID-19 guidelines here

The state officials said that non AC private and public transport buses can operate at 100 percent capacity and AC buses at 75 percent capacity from July 20. The state government also allowed reopening of water parks and swimming pools at 60 percent capacity from July 20.

Representational Image (Credits: PTI)

New Delhi: The Gujarat government on Friday (July 16, 2021) extended the COVID-induced night curfew in eight cities for 12 more days. Now the night curfew will remain in force from 10 pm to 6 am in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot, Surat, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Gandhinagar and Junagadh till the morning of August 1, a state government release said.

According to reports in PTI, the state government allowed reopening of water parks and swimming pools at 60 percent capacity from July 20 provided their staff receive at least the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination by July 31, an official said.

"Owners, managers and staff of water parks will have to get inoculated with the first dose by July 31," it said.

The state officials also added that non AC private and public transport buses can operate at 100 percent capacity and AC buses at 75 percent capacity from July 20, and it will be mandatory for drivers and conductors to take the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

A release also said hotels, resorts-restaurants and water parks in the state have been exempted from fixed electricity charges for a period of one year as per an announcement made by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on June 7, and such entities will have to pay only for actual consumption.

Meanwhile, with the addition of 39 fresh COVID-19 cases, the tally of infections in Gujarat reached 8,24,423 on Friday, an official from the state health department said. The death toll stood at 10,074, as no new casualties were reported during the day, while 70 patients were discharged from hospitals, taking the count of recoveries to 8,13,743, the official said. Gujarat's recovery rate improved to 98.70 percent, and the state is currently left with 606 active cases, of which seven patients are in a critical condition