Bihar to go in for total lockdown from July 16

Bihar will go for a total lockdown from July 16 to 31 to contain the spread of COVID-19, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi announced on July 14.

On his official Twitter handle, Modi said the 15-day lockdown will remain in force at all municipal, district, sub divisional and block headquarters level and that guidelines were being prepared.

“The government has taken a decision to this effect… Corona has neither any vaccine nor any medicine,” Modi said in a virtual rally, details of which were shared on his Twitter handle.

The move comes close on the heels of recent spike in positive cases which had necessitated lockdowns, imposed by the local administrations, in several districts.

According to reports, during the lockdown, emergency services, trains and flights will continue. Also local fruit and vegetable shops are likely to open once each in morning and evening. However, public transport services, shopping malls, and religious places like temples, across the state, will remain closed.

The government, reportedly, took this decision during a high-level meeting, which was called today to discuss further measures to curb the spread of the infection in the state.

On July 14, the government had extended lockdown in Nawada, Buxar and Supaul and announced fresh lockdown in Sitamarhi and Lakhisarai. With this, lockdown is now imposed in 20 districts across the state.

Several states, including Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Nagaland, have already announced lockdown till July 31. Uttar Pradesh government has announced lockdowns on all Saturdays and Sundays.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases in India continue to rise unabatedly with the tally crossing 9-lakh mark on Tuesday. The country recorded last 1 lakh cases in just three days. Meanwhile, the death toll is nearing 24,000 mark.