Coronavirus: CrPC Section 144 imposed in Delhi till March 31
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) have been issued in Delhi till March 31 in light of the coronavirus outbreak. The announcement comes a day after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal issued orders disallowing public gatherings of more than five people. Separately, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray imposed CrPC Section 144 across the state. Here are more details.
Section 144 to be enforced in Delhi tonight, Maharashtra tomorrow
CrPC Section 144—which bans the assembly of over four persons—will be enforced in Delhi from 9 pm on Sunday till midnight on March 31. 9 pm on Sunday is when the nationwide 'Janata Curfew' is relaxed. In Maharashtra, Section 144 will come into force from Monday across all cities. The state is reportedly staring at a virtual lockdown across urban areas till March 31.
Continue following Janata Curfew till tomorrow: Thackeray
Thackeray also urged the citizens of Maharashtra to continue following the 'Janata Curfew' till Monday morning. CrPC Section 144 has also been imposed in Bengaluru from 9 pm on Sunday till 12 am, city Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao declared.
Coronavirus tally: 27 cases in Delhi, 74 in Maharashtra
In Delhi, a total of 27 positive cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have been reported. Five people have been discharged after recovery while one, a 68-year-old woman, has died. Maharashtra has confirmed 74 positive cases, with 10 cases reported in the past 24 hours alone—six in Mumbai, four in Pune. Two people have died in Maharashtra's Mumbai: two men aged 63 and 64.
Local transmission of coronavirus witnessed in Delhi, Maharashtra
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that five of the 10 new cases in the state involved infection through local transmission, according to PTI. The remaining five had foreign travel history. Tope expressed concern over increasing cases of local transmission. On Saturday, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also confirmed that four patients in Delhi contracted the coronavirus disease through local transmission.
Across India, 341 cases reported; 7 dead
Across India, a total of 341 coronavirus cases have been reported. These include 23 patients who were discharged post-recovery. Seven people have also died from the disease, with three new deaths being reported in the past 24 hours.
What is COVID-19?
COVID-19 was first reported in China's Wuhan city in December 2019. The disease is caused by a novel coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. The virus attacks a host's respiratory system triggering symptoms such as fever, cough, and breathing difficulties. In severe cases, it may cause pneumonia, multiple organ failure, or death. COVID-19 has spread to at least 150 countries, killing over 13,000 and sickening 3 lakh.
