LUCKNOW: With a steep surge in the number of Covid-19 positive cases in the state, more than 50% of these linked to the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi, there is a question mark on the lifting of the lockdown after April 14, when the 21-day period comes to an end.
Additional chief secretary, home, Awanish Awasthi said that the government would not be in a position to lift the lockdown till the state completely got rid of coronavirus cases.
In the past five days, UP has registered 182 Covid-19 positive cases. Out of these, 165 cases, or more than 90%, are linked to Tablighi Jamaat while just 18 have no connection with the Nizamuddin congregation. Till April 1, when there was no case related to the Jamaat in the state, UP's tally of Covid cases was 116, which jumped to 308 by April 6 evening.
“In the past few days, the number of cases in UP has gone up because of Tablighi Jamaat attendees, who, are more than half the total cases in the state. Because of them, the situation in the state has become more sensitive. It would be premature to presume at this point that lockdown will be lifted on April 14,” Awasthi said.
“If even one positive case is left in UP, we cannot lift lockdown. We will be back to square one as we will lose control over the spread of disease and also whatever we have achieved from lockdown till now. There is real possibility of lockdown being extended,” he said. The matter was discussed on Monday morning when chief minister Yogi Adityanath reviewed the situation with the heads of 11 committees set up to monitor coronavirus cases in the state.
‘No community transfer in state’
For the past two days, the CM had been asking officials to prepare a plan to lift lockdown in a phased manner to avoid sudden rush of people at public places. Though officials say that more or less everyone is now accounted for, the administration is still identifying people who attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi last month.
Positive cases come under category A while those whom they came in contact with or those who may have travelled with them fall in category B. People who interacted with category B persons belong to category C. The administration is identifying all such persons, putting those with high risk under quarantine while monitoring the health of others. At present, there are 1,17,466 people in quarantine in shelters set up by the revenue department.
Denying that there was any community transfer of the virus, Awasthi said all confirmed cases in the state were accounted for.
Corona hotspots being are being identified by the government and are being put under complete lockdown. Certain areas in Lucknow and Prayagraj were put under complete lockdown on Sunday. “Prayagraj may face some shortage of supplies but people will have to cooperate as lockdown is for their benefit,” Awasthi said.
Additional chief secretary, home, Awanish Awasthi said that the government would not be in a position to lift the lockdown till the state completely got rid of coronavirus cases.
In the past five days, UP has registered 182 Covid-19 positive cases. Out of these, 165 cases, or more than 90%, are linked to Tablighi Jamaat while just 18 have no connection with the Nizamuddin congregation. Till April 1, when there was no case related to the Jamaat in the state, UP's tally of Covid cases was 116, which jumped to 308 by April 6 evening.
“In the past few days, the number of cases in UP has gone up because of Tablighi Jamaat attendees, who, are more than half the total cases in the state. Because of them, the situation in the state has become more sensitive. It would be premature to presume at this point that lockdown will be lifted on April 14,” Awasthi said.
“If even one positive case is left in UP, we cannot lift lockdown. We will be back to square one as we will lose control over the spread of disease and also whatever we have achieved from lockdown till now. There is real possibility of lockdown being extended,” he said. The matter was discussed on Monday morning when chief minister Yogi Adityanath reviewed the situation with the heads of 11 committees set up to monitor coronavirus cases in the state.
‘No community transfer in state’
For the past two days, the CM had been asking officials to prepare a plan to lift lockdown in a phased manner to avoid sudden rush of people at public places. Though officials say that more or less everyone is now accounted for, the administration is still identifying people who attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi last month.
Positive cases come under category A while those whom they came in contact with or those who may have travelled with them fall in category B. People who interacted with category B persons belong to category C. The administration is identifying all such persons, putting those with high risk under quarantine while monitoring the health of others. At present, there are 1,17,466 people in quarantine in shelters set up by the revenue department.
Denying that there was any community transfer of the virus, Awasthi said all confirmed cases in the state were accounted for.
Corona hotspots being are being identified by the government and are being put under complete lockdown. Certain areas in Lucknow and Prayagraj were put under complete lockdown on Sunday. “Prayagraj may face some shortage of supplies but people will have to cooperate as lockdown is for their benefit,” Awasthi said.
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