Night curfew in Maharashtra from today; check details here
The Maharashtra government has announced a night curfew starting Sunday (March 28) to control the spurt in coronavirus infections. The curfew will last from 8 pm till 7 am the next day. Maharashtra is India's worst-hit state in terms of the absolute number of cases, the absolute number of deaths, the number of active infections, and the rate of rise in infections.
All social, cultural, political, religious gatherings banned
According to guidelines for the state-wide night curfew, all social, cultural, political, and religious gatherings in the state remain banned. Gatherings of more than five people during curfew hours will not be allowed. All public places, including gardens and beaches, shall remain closed during curfew hours. Violations are punishable with a fine of Rs. 1,000 per head.
Maskless persons to be fined Rs. 500
For wedding-related events and last rites, the number of attendees has been capped at 50 and 20 respectively. Any person found without a face mask shall attract a fine of Rs. 500. Persons found spitting in public shall attract a fine of Rs. 1,000. All cinema halls, malls, auditoriums, and restaurants will remain closed during curfew hours. However, home delivery/take-away services will be allowed.
Danger from coronavirus not over; it has increased: CM
Earlier this week, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray warned that the danger from coronavirus is not over and has instead increased. "District collectors can impose lockdown depending on the local situation. But they will have to give sufficient time to the people beforehand," he said. Advising districts to review the availability of health facilities, he said he does not wish to impose a lockdown.
How bad is the outbreak in Maharashtra?
On Saturday, the latest available COVID-19 update, Maharashtra reported 35,726 new cases and 166 fresh fatalities—the highest number of single-day fatalities this year. Infections in the state have spiked since late-February. As many as 1,57,311 people were tested on the day. The total number of cases has reached 26,73,461, which includes 54,073 deaths, 3,03,475 active cases, and 23,14,579 recoveries.
