With COVID-19 cases continuing to rise with each passing day, the Andhra Pradesh government on Monday decided to impose a partial curfew in the state with effect from May 5, Wednesday.
As per the restrictions which will be in force for a period of two weeks, shops and establishments will be allowed to operate between 6 am and 12 noon. Section 144 will be in force during these hours.
From 12 noon onwards, curfew will be in force, and only emergency services will be allowed to function.
For the past few days, a night curfew from 10 pm to 5 am is in force in the state to contain COVID-19.
On Monday, Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy, Ministers, and officials met to review the prevailing situation and decide upon measures to tackle the pandemic situation in the state.
Health minister Alla Nani said: "The Chief Minister has instructed to impose curfew in specified hours. Along with COVID control measures, he has directed us to increase bed capacities in hospitals."
Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh government on Sunday also decided to postpone the Intermediate examination scheduled to be held on May 5. The state Education Minister Adimulapu Suresh said in an official statement that the decision has been taken after the high court asked them to reconsider the decision to conduct exams in view of COVID-19 surge.
With several petitions filed seeking cancellation of the board exams on account of spiralling Covid cases, the Court heard the matter on Friday and directed the state government to submit an affidavit by May 3.
Andhra Pradesh has been reporting progressively higher Covid cases with every passing day. On Sunday, the number touched the all-time high of 23,920 cases.
Chittoor district reported the highest number of 2,945 new cases, followed by East Godavari 2,831, Srikakulam 2,724, Kurnool 2,516 and Guntur 2,384.
The districts reporting more than 1,000 cases each, include West Godavari with 1,997 cases, Visakhapatnam with 1,938 cases, Prakasam with 1,378 cases, Anantapur with 1,303 cases, YSR Kadapa with 1,055 cases, and Nellore with 1,011 cases.
(With agency inputs)