Full Lockdown In Pune From July 13-23, Essential Services To Be Allowed

A comprehensive lockdown will be enforced in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad from July 13-23, the Maharashtra government announced on Friday as the cities reported a steady growth in the number of coronavirus cases. Only milk shops, pharmacies, doctors' clinics and emergency services will be allowed during the shutdown period, the government said, adding the decision was taken to break the chain of transmission.

The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

"A lockdown will be imposed in Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad and some other areas of the district considering the rise in COVID-19 cases," divisional commissioner (Pune division) Deepak Mhaisekar was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

A detailed order on the lockdown will be issued soon, Pune municipal commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad said.

Pune on Thursday reported its highest single-day jump of 1,803 new COVID-19 cases, which pushed its overall count to 34,399, a health official said.

The death count in the district stood at 978 with 34 more people dying of the infection on Thursday, the official said.

"Of the 1,803 cases, as many as 1,032 were reported from the areas located in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits, where the number of patients has reached 24,977," the official was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.

581 patients were discharged from hospitals after being cured of COVID-19 on Thursday in Pune.

Pimpri-Chinchwad, the industrial town, reported 573 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, taking its COVID-19 total to 6,982.

Pune is the second worst-hit district in Maharashtra after Mumbai.

The state on Thursday reported 6,875 new cases and 219 deaths, taking its total past the 2,30,000 mark.

The Maharashtra government had allowed several relaxations in the lockdown rules after the centre began unlocking the economy under what it called "unlock1" in May. It had allowed barber shops after the second set of the 'unlock' guidelines were issued last month.

Amid a continued nationwide surge in cases, some states like Uttar Pradesh have revisited their coronavirus lockdown strategy. The UP government on Thursday announced a full lockdown during the upcoming weekend to disrupt the transmission of the virus.

With inputs from PTI