Bihar goes into lockdown until May 15: CM Nitish Kumar
Bihar will observe a full lockdown until May 15, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced today amid spiralling coronavirus cases across the northern state. The state government has also set up a Crisis Management Group to finalize the details of the decision. The Chief Minister made the crucial announcement via social media. Here are more details on this.
'We have decided to impose a lockdown'
"After discussions with fellow Ministers and officials, we have decided to impose a lockdown in Bihar until May 15, 2021. The Crisis Management Group has been directed to issue guidelines and make arrangements in this regard," CM Kumar tweeted in Hindi today.
You can view the tweet here
How bad is the COVID-19 outbreak in Bihar?
The announcement has come on a day when the state reported 11,407 new coronavirus cases and 82 deaths. Bihar's total caseload now stands at over 5.09 lakh, while more than 2,800 fatalities have been logged so far. As far as the vaccination drive is concerned, 74,18,981 beneficiaries in the 45-plus age group have reportedly been inoculated in Bihar.
Impose lockdown or we will order it: Patna High Court
Earlier in the day, the Patna High Court had issued an ultimatum to the Bihar government asking it to impose a state-wide lockdown or else it would order the same. "It is like complete failure, as infection seems to be unabated. The government seems to be gripped by a state of indecision (sic)," the High Court Bench observed.
India reports 3.57 lakh new infections, 3,449 deaths
India has been gripped by a dreadful second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, that has worsened over the past few weeks. In the last 24 hours, the country reported 3,57,229 new COVID-19 infections and 3,449 deaths. Hospitals across several Indian states have been flagging an acute shortage of medical oxygen, beds, medicines, and even staff members to cope with the massive caseload.
