Goa imposes night curfew in view of the pandemic situation. (Representational lmage)
Goa administration has decided to impose a night curfew in the city from 10 pm to 6 am. The curfew will be effective from Wednesday night (today) onwards till April 30.
As per night curfew guidelines, casinos, bars, cinema halls will operate at 50 per cent capacity only. The decision has been taken after 1,500 fresh cases were reported in the state.
Earlier in the day, addressing a meeting on the Covid situation in the state, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the government will prefer the imposition of certain stringent restrictions given the rise in COVID-19 cases but ruled out clamping of a lockdown.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that imposition of a lockdown should be the last option. Lockdown will not control coronavirus. We have to impose some restrictions to control the situation," Sawant told reporters.
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Sawant said he had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Tuesday and briefed him about the steps taken by the state government to break the transmission of coronavirus.
"As the second wave (of coronavirus) is affecting people below 50 years, everyone must take anti-COVID 19 vaccines after May 1 (when the drive opens for every adult)," he said.
Goa reported a total of 69,312 coronavirus positive cases until April 20 while the overall death toll stood at 926, including 26 fatalities recorded on the previous day, the health department had said.
"Deaths are occurring in Goa because COVID-19 patients are arriving late at hospitals for treatment," he said.
The CM attributed the rise in coronavirus positive cases to extensive testing. Goa had tested a total of 5,98,330 samples until April 20.
(With inputs from PTI)
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