JOIN USNight curfew in Ahmedabad from November 20 as Covid-19 cases spike
The state government on Thursday announced the reimposition of night curfew in Ahmedabad city from November 20 in view of the rising number of coronavirus cases post-Diwali vacation.
The curfew will be effective from 9 pm to 6 am till further notification. During this period, only shops selling milk and medicines will be permitted to remain open. The city will have a complete curfew from Friday night to Monday morning.
"It is further clarified by way of abundant caution that complete curfew is imposed in the city of Ahmedabad from 9.00 pm: 20/11/2020 to 23/11/2020 6.00 am. The night curfew every day from 9.00 pm to 6.00 am shall continue thereafter as well," a government statement said.
Hours after announcing the decision, the state government also postponed the reopening of schools and colleges which were scheduled to resume from November 23.
The government had lifted the night curfew in August as part of easing curbs after the pandemic situation showed signs of improvement. The health department reported 1,340 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, out of which Ahmedabad city reported 230. The state reported seven deaths due to the virus, of which three patients died in Ahmedabad. These are the highest numbers since mid-October.
The curbs were relaxed before Diwali, allowing the market to remain open till midnight which led to large gatherings of people, ignoring the social distancing and other Covid-19 guidelines. With the number of infected persons increasing, pressure on designated Covid-19 hospitals has started mounting leading to scarcity of beds, doctors and other medical facilities.
Announcing the decision, additional chief secretary Rajiv Kumar Gupta said that besides imposing a curfew, the government has increased nearly 1,300 beds in Covid-19 hospitals in government as well as private hospitals in Ahmedabad. He added that there are 2,347 beds available in government hospitals and over 500 in private hospitals. Besides, 600 additional doctors and medical students are being roped in Ahmedabad to manage the crisis.
Meanwhile, three sitting judges of the Gujarat High Court have also got infected with the virus in the last 10 days. Sources in the high court administration said that the three judges have been advised home isolation.