Maharashtra cities are going into shutdown modes to combat the threat of the novel coronavirus that has infected more than 80 people in the country and has killed nearly 5,000 globally. The Maharashtra government has ordered a closure of cinema halls, gyms and swimming pools in several of the state’s cities including Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad and Nagpur from Friday midnight. Schools in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad areas will also remain shut until further orders.
The announcement was made by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thakeray, who joined his counterparts from several states who have undertaken such drastic measures in an attempt to keep the novel coronavirus threat at bay. Similar measures have been announced in Delhi, Karnataka, Bihar and Odisha.
Addressing the Maharashtra assembly, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that the government is implementing the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 from midnight in order to allow it to implement these emergency measures. Thackeray also urged companies to allow their staff to work from home.
Two persons from Mumbai, Thane respectively test positive for coronavirus. India records first death due to coronavirus. The 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi in Karnataka, who passed away on Wednesday, and was suspected of having coronavirus has been confirmed of being infected. The necessary contact tracing, isolation and other measures as per protocol are being carried out. With rising number of Covid-19 positive cases across the world with every passing day, Coronavirus has sparked fear among people, forcing several countries to put restrictions on travel and even cancel scheduled events.
The measures are in line with global trends that show that imposing restrictions on social gatherings and making attempts to reduce interaction between people may be one of the best steps to reduce the spread of Covid-19, or novel coronavirus, which currently has vaccine or treatment.
