Rising cases bring one city back under lockdown

According to the latest reports, Nagpur has been placed under lockdown from March 15 to 21 due to a surge in coronavirus caseload. Complete lockdown will remain imposed in Nagpur City Police Commissionerate area for the week, said Nagpur Guardian Minister Nitin Raut.

Raut advised people against moving out unnecessarily during the lockdown.

Nagpur has been witnessing a spike in daily cases since the last month. Some restrictions had been imposed in the district on February 22, including strict curbs on weekends.


During the coming lockdown, private offices will remain closed, while government offices will work at 25 per cent capacity, according to the notice.

Essential services will continue, the notice added. Shops of essential commodities will remain open. Liquor will be sold online only during the lockdown period.

There currently are 12,166 active cases in Nagpur. The district yesterday reported 1,710 new cases, taking its overall tally to 1,62,053. As many as 4,417 people have died in the district from the novel coronavirus so far.

Speculation is gaining ground over a possible statewide lockdown in Maharashtra amid rising number of Covid cases, especially after the Shiv Sena talked of tough measures in an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamna.

Another lockdown could be unavoidable if people failed to maintain self-discipline, the editorial stated on a sombre note.

One of Maharashtra's ministers had already told wires agency PTI that the government won't rule out a partial lockdown or a night curfew.

Officials had warned that if citizens do not follow the protocol, the civic body may be forced to take stringent steps.

Covid immunisation drive is underway at 67 centres, including 24 civic hospitals, four state-run hospitals and 38 private hospitals in the state. The civic body is planning to increase the number of the vaccination centres to 85, according to an official.

The situation is not yet fully under control, and some areas might be bought back under lockdown if rules are not adhered to, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said.

A decision to this effect will be taken in the next couple of days, the CM added.