UP Govt Caps Number Of People Allowed At Religious Places As Covid Cases Continue To Rise

After a review meeting late-night on Saturday, the Chief Minister imposed fresh restrictions - capping the number of devotees entering a religious place at a time.

Lucknow: As Covid-19 cases surge in the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to impose restrictions on religious gatherings, days before Navratri and Ramzan. The Yogi Adityanath government has decided to prohibit 5 or more persons inside religious place at a time. 

After a review meeting late-night on Saturday, the Chief Minister imposed fresh restrictions - capping the number of devotees entering a religious place at a time stated a IANS report.

Lucknow reported a staggering 4,059 fresh Covid-19 cases on Saturday, taking its tally of active cases to 16,690.

The Gorakhpur district administration on Saturday decided to impose a night curfew till April 18 because of the rising coronavirus cases. Gorakhpur District Magistrate Vijyendra Pandiyan said the night curfew will be imposed from 9 pm to 6 am.

It will begin on Sunday night and continue till April 18. Government employees and those associated with the essential services and public welfare services are exempt from this restrictions although they are asked to have their identity cards with them at all times. 

CM Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to arrange for at least 2,000 ICU beds immediately and another 2,000 Covid beds must be arranged for within a week. Balrampur Hospital will also be starting a 300-bed Covid facility.

"This means that additional 4,000 ICU beds will be created in Lucknow to tackle the COVID-19 menace. The chief minister has directed the district administration to put more ambulances on the duty," a senior UP government official was quoted as saying by PTI.

The Chief Minister has allocated one hospital each to the medical education minister, principal secretary (medical education) and secretary (medical education) and the Balrampur Hospital to the state Health Minister. 

According to IANS, the CM further said that comprehensive contact tracing was needed. "At least 30-35 people who could have come in contact with a positive person have to be identified and tested. Ambulances should be linked with the integrated command and control centre so that patients can get ambulance services on time. There should be 'nigrani committees' in every village and in every block of the urban local body" he was quoted as saying.