Amid spike in COVID-19 cases, Maharashtra goes into battle mode

Mumbai, Apr 05: In a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19, Maharashtra has entered to battle mode with weekend lockdown, night curfew and the containment zone rules coming into effect from today.

On April 04, it can be seen that Maharashtra reported the highest single-day spike so far since the pandemic started. With 57,074 new infections, the total caseload has reached 30,10,597. The active number of COVID-19 cases in the state stands at 4,30,503.

With the 222 deaths in the last 24 hours, the COVID-19 death toll has mounted to 55,878. As many as 25,22,823 people have recovered from the disease so far. The recovery rate in Maharashtra is 83.8 per cent while the case fatality rate is 1.86 per cent.

Here are the restrictions which will remain in place till April 30:

• Complete lockdown on the weekends (Friday evening to Monday morning).
• Section 144 during the day. Curfew at night, meaning people can't step out from 8 pm to 7 am without a valid reason. Essential services are exempt from these restrictions.
• All private offices to enforce Work From Home with the exception of SBI Bank, stock market, insurance companies, medical offices, telecom and financial service-providing firms.

• Public and private transport will not be stopped. But no standing passengers in buses and outstation trains. Two passengers in autorickshaws. Half of the permitted passengers in taxis.
• Agricultural activities will continue, transportation of agricultural products and foodgrains will not be stopped.
• All public places like parks, beaches will stay shut from 8 pm to 7 am. If people crowd these areas through the day, these places will be shut completely too.
• All shops except grocery, medicines, vegetables and those selling essential items will stay shut.
• Malls, market places and gyms will also remain closed.
• All theatres, multiplexes, video parlours, pubs, swimming pools, sports complexes, auditoriums, waterparks to shut down completely
• Places of religious worship to shut for visitors. Priests and staff will be allowed.
• Restaurants and bars to allow only allow takeaway and parcels between 7 am to 8 pm
• Barbershops, beauty parlours, spas and salons will also remain shut
• Roadside vendors can also provide parcels from 7 am to 8 pm. In case, there is overcrowding, action will be taken against them

• E-commerce companies can send their deliveries from 7 am to 8 pm. These companies must ensure the vaccination of all their employees. Else such employees will be fined Rs 1,000 each and the company would be slapped penalty of Rs 10,000.
• Newspaper printing and circulation would be allowed. Newspaper sellers will have to get themselves vaccinated.
• Schools, colleges, private classes to shut too with the only exception being Class 10th and 12th exams