COVID-19: Punjab Becomes 2nd State to Extend Lockdown after Odisha

Chandigarh, April 10, 2020:

Punjab has joined Odisha and announced the extension of lockdown in the State till May 1 in a bid to contain the COVID-19.

As Punjab saw a sharp increase in the COVID-19 cases (132), Punjab Government, led by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh decided to extend the lockdown till May 1.

The Punjab Government has apprehensions that the State will soon enter the phase of community transmission and therefore the decision was adopted.

"The decision was taken at a meeting of the council of ministers, chaired by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, to check community spread of the coronavirus pandemic and to prevent overcrowding at the Mandis in the light of the ensuing wheat harvesting/procurement season," the Punjab Government said in a statement.

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It added that the Chief Minister would communicate the decision to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Chief Ministers' virtual conference scheduled on Saturday.

"Citing the grim projections about the spread of the pandemic in the coming weeks, the Chief Minister said the curfew restrictions were essential so that the medical infrastructure is not burdened beyond its capabilities. There was general consensus in the medical community that the lockdown curbs would only delay the spread of the disease, he said, hoping that some medication/cure would be found soon," the statement said.

Punjab has also decided to form a multi-disciplinary task force comprising 15 members representing trade, business, industry, agriculture, civil society and health care professionals to formulate an exit strategy for gradual relaxation of the lockdown.

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Besides this, the state cabinet has also approved the establishment of a high-powered committee to suggest a road map for state's economic revival in post-COVID-19 phase.

It may be mentioned here that Odisha on Thursday extended the lockdown till April 30. “During ongoing lockdown period amid Covid-19 crisis, your discipline and sacrifice has provided us the strength to fight Covid-19,” said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in his video message.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s official figures on April 9, Odisha has 42 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus. This number includes one patient who succumbed to the infection and two individuals who recovered.

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