Covid lockdown extended in Haryana till May 24

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government on Sunday extended the coronavirus lockdown in the state till May 24.

The lockdown which already stood imposed in the state till May 17 was extended by a week.

Making the announcement on Twitter, Home and Health Minister Anil Vij said, "Mahamari Alert / Surkshit Haryana extended from 17 May to 24 May.

Stringent measures will be taken to implement the alert (lockdown).

” Last Sunday, Minister Vij had extended the lockdown from May 10 till May 17.

In a bid to contain the current second Covid-19 wave in Haryana, the state government had first imposed the lockdown on May 3 for a week till May 10.

The Haryana government has termed the lockdown as "Mahamari Alert/Surkshit Haryana (Epidemic Alert/Safe Haryana)".

Haryana has been facing a surge in Covid-19 infections as well as fatalities for the last few weeks, though they have registered a slight fall during the past few days.

The recent surge had seen increased pressure on hospitals with demand for medical oxygen also increasing manifold.

The government has maintained that it is doing its best to tackle the present Covid-19 situation.

The government has also stepped up efforts to check the spread of the virus in rural areas with many villages seeing a surge in infections.

During the lockdown, the government had urged residents to stay indoors.

However, several categories of people, including those tasked with the maintenance of law and order, emergency and municipal services and the government machinery engaged in anti-Covid duties, have been exempted from the lockdown restrictions.

To curb the virus' spread, the state government had recently put several other restrictions in place including the imposition of restrictions orders under Section 144 of the CrPC and daily night curfew.