Coronavirus | Punjab government extends lockdown

But curfew restrictions will go, says CM

With coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) cases declining in the past four days, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday said the lockdown would continue till May 31, but the curfew restrictions would go. He indicated that limited public transport would resume and curbs would be eased further in the non-containment zones from May 18.

The State reported 14 fresh cases, taking the total to 1,946, the Health Department said.

Number of positive cases reaches 1644 in Punjab

Mr. Amarinder Singh said the containment zones would be sealed for shops and small businesses to reopen in the non-containment areas. The government would announce details of relaxations by Monday, factoring in the Centre’s guidelines for Lockdown 4.0. However, he said educational institutes would remain closed.

He said that in its suggestions to the Union Home Minister, the State recommended that the nationwide lockdown be extended to May 31, though with more relaxations.

In a live Facebook interaction, as part of his #AskCaptain initiative, the Chief Minister said the daily number of cases had come down in the past four days after the recent surge due to the arrival of pilgrims from Nanded and students from Kota. He said the rate of doubling of cases stood at 44 days.

But he warned that the number could go up as more migrant workers and non-resident Indians would enter the State. As of now, 60,000 Punjabis from other States and 20,000 from abroad had registered themselves for return.