Hotspots of the Covid-19 disease in 15 districts of Uttar Pradesh, including parts of the National Capital Region, will be completely shut down to contain the spread of the coronavirus infection, officials said on Wednesday.
Stringent restrictions will come into effect at midnight in these pockets of India’s most populous state that, according to the Union health ministry, has reported 326 Covid-19 cases and three deaths till Wednesday morning.
Gautam Budh Nagar, which houses Noida, and Ghaziabad are among the 15 districts, officials said after a review meeting with chief minister Yogi Adityanath. Other districts include Lucknow, Meerut, Agra and Varanasi.
Officials said all these 15 districts have six or more cases each. It was not immediately clear what additional measures will be put in place in these areas. A list of the hotspots was not available immediately. The restrictions will continue till at least April 15, when a review will be done.
“We are identifying the hotspots in these districts in consultation with the director general of police (DGP),” said Avnish Awasthi, additional chief secretary, home. An announcement is expected in the afternoon.
India is already under a three-week, nationwide lockdown, which began on March 25. There are reports that the Centre is considering extending the lockdown after suggestions by several states, including Uttar Pradesh, and experts.
Commercial rail and air travel as well as interstate travel is completely banned across the country. Only people involved in the delivery of commercial services are allowed on the road.
