Given the current situation of the COVID-19 cases, the Chief Minister of Goa, Pramod Sawant has announced a night curfew in Goa from 10pm (to 6am) tonight. The curfew will come into place from Wednesday night and will stay in effect till April 30.
Under the orders, casinos, restaurants and bars, cinema halls shall be allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity only. Besides, the Goa Board has also decided to postpone class 10th and 12th examinations.
New dates for the board exams will inform 15 days in advance before holding the exams.
Cases in Goa are on the rise because the state has increased the number of daily tests, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday, a day after the state logged its highest number of deaths and its daily infection rate peaked at 1,160 in 24 hours.
Sawant also ruled out a lockdown in the state, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi had himself said in his address to the nation on Tuesday that a lockdown ought to be the last option for states.
"The cases are increasing because we are testing more now. Earlier we were testing 2,000, now it is nearly 3,200," Sawant said.
The Chief Minister also said that the death rate due to Covid-19 was increasing in Goa -- 26 persons died from Covid-19 on Wednesday -- because patients were delaying getting themselves admitted to hospitals.
"People are coming in late. They sit in fear at home. They should instead get admitted. We cannot do anything at the last stage," Sawant said. The Chief Minister also said that the second Covid waves was impacting people below 50 years.
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