Jaipur, May 22: The 15-day lockdown has proven to be effective in Rajasthan as the number of active cases of Covid-19 have decreased by almost 90,000 in just 9 days. There were more than 2.11 lakh active cases on May 13, which were reduced to 1.22 lakh on May 22. The number of new cases is also on the downward trend and the infection rate has decreased by 5 per cent in just 7 days.
Rajasthan saw a spurt in positive cases in the first two weeks of May when infection was rampant and there were days when the number of new cases reached more than 18,000 a day. Deaths were also around 150-160 per day. Looking at the situation government imposed a 15-day strict lockdown from May 10. Wedding ceremonies were banned and no one was allowed on roads after 11 am accept fruit and vegetable sellers. The strictness gave good results and the situation is now looking under control, although the government is planning to extend it till the end of the month.
Statistics say there were 1.22 lakh new cases in the first week of May which reduced to 67,604 in the third week of May. The infection rate was at 23 per cent in the second week of May which reduced to 18 per cent in the third week. Less than 1000 new cases were reported in each of 11 out of 33 districts of the state. Although data of rural areas are still not up to the marc as RT-PCR test facility is not there in all the villages and only those patients are counted who have come to cities or nearby towns for treatment. The government is relying on screening and door to door survey in rural areas.
