The Maharashtra government on Wednesday extended the restrictions imposed on the state in light of the Covid-19 pandemic until January 31. The chief secretary, Sanjay Kumar, issued a notification to that effect.
Although almost all the restrictions imposed in the state under lockdown, which began in the third week of March this year, have been lifted, restrictions on the reopening of private and government offices, schools, swimming pools and interstate activities remain in effect. Local trains in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region have yet to start operating for all commuters. The state government has yet to allow the reopening of schools and universities. In addition, the prohibition of large gatherings for social, religious and political purposes is also in force.
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Maharashtra has witnessed a small number of Covid-19 cases for more than two months. For 25 consecutive days, there have been fewer than 5,000 cases. As of Wednesday, the case count was 1,925,066 and the death toll reached 49,373.
On December 22, the state government had imposed a seven-hour nightly curfew from December 22 to January 5 on all urban areas governed by 27 municipal corporations, and empowered district collectors to impose similar restrictions. in rural areas if they considered it appropriate.
The government urged citizens to stay home as they welcome the new year on December 31 and January 1 and avoid crowds in public places, especially on the seashore, gardens and roads. It has also started to quarantine all travelers from Europe, the Middle East and South Africa for seven days as a precautionary measure in light of the mutated strain of the coronavirus being discovered in the UK.
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