RAIPUR: With a surge in coronavirus positive cases in Raipur and other parts of the state, the Chhattisgarh government on Saturday decided to reimpose lockdown for one week after July 21 in areas witnessing Covid-19 spike.
The government said lockdown will not be implemented simultaneously across all districts and the number of testing would be doubled in the coming weeks.
CM Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday summoned an emergency meeting of his cabinet and senior officials at his official residence to discuss measures to curb the surge in reported coronavirus infections.
“Owing to the growing number of coronavirus cases, mostly in the districts of Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, Bhilai, Rajnandgaon, Raigarh, Ambikapur and Korba, the collectors there have been authorised to take the decision on imposing lockdown or curfew after monitoring the situation. The decision would be taken after July 21 and the lockdown would be at least for one week”, said the agriculture and water resources minister Ravindra Choubey, who attended the meeting. A detailed guideline would soon be issued in this regard.
The necessary measures for increasing the requisite resources and the manpower needed for doubling the testing facilities would soon be undertaken by the state health department, the minister added.
On Saturday, the total positive cases in Chhattisgarh crossed the 5000 mark and recorded the highest single-day spike of 249 cases. 3515 patients have so far been cured and discharged. The coronavirus fatalities is 24. The active cases are 1467 in the state.