India’s richest state, Maharashtra, has announced severe sanctions against Kovid-19, effective from Monday (5). There has been an increase in infections in the state, which now accounts for more than half of the new cases across the country.
Businessmen, who attended a meeting with the state chief minister before the ban was announced, considered the situation bleak and that there might be a shortage of hospital beds, doctors and MPs.
The state will be closed Shopping Mall, Cinema, bars, restaurants and shrines will start tomorrow night.
Officers will also put Lockdown Gambhir, the state government minister, Nawab Malik, told reporters after a cabinet meeting over the weekend.
Millions of migrant workers come from all over Maharashtra to search for jobs in the western Indian state, which is about 16% of India’s economic output.
India ranks second after the United States and Brazil among the highest infections in the world, with more than 12 million cases and nearly 165 thousand deaths recorded since the onset of the epidemic.
According to the Health Ministry data, 93.24 thousand new cases were reported in the country in 24 hours till this Sunday morning. Maharashtra, which represents less than one-tenth of the population, was responsible for a record 49.44 thousand new cases.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today chaired a high-level meeting to review the status of Kovid-19 in the country and the vaccination program.
* With information from Rajendra Jadhav and Abhiroop Roy – Reuters reporter
