New Lockdown (Unlock 4.0) Rules From September 1: What is Allowed and Not Allowed

The local authority must ensure 100% coverage of the app among residents in Containment Zones.

Below activities should be done by the local authorities in Containment Zones:

> Contact tracing.> All cases with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection, Influenza Like Illness, and other symptoms specified by the Ministry of Health and> Family Welfare should be tested.> Institutional or home quarantine of persons based on risk assessment by medical officers.> Special teams to take up surveillance of house to house.> Educating and counselling people and establishing effective communication.> Clinical management of all cases as per protocol.

A maximum of 2 passengers (besides the driver) is allowed to travel during the lockdown.

Yes, you can travel between states during Lockdown 4.0; however, it is under the discretion of the States or mutually agree to allow private vehicles through their state borders.

No, you cannot travel by air as it remains banned during the extended lockdown until 31 May 2020.

The Centre has allowed barber shops, salons and spas to operate during the extended lockdown period across all zones which includes the Red Zone as well.

No, restaurants and hotels are not allowed to operate until 31 May 2020 as per guidelines issued by the Central Government.

Yes, cab or taxi aggregators are allowed to operate in Red Zones during the lockdown until 31 May 2020.Is there a cap on office attendance during Lockdown 4.0?

The earlier cap of 33% on office attendance has been removed during the fourth extension of the lockdown. State government will formulate guidelines for Social Distancing rules for offices, industry and businesses.

Yes, e-commerce companies can operate in green, orange and red zones during the lockdown until 31 May 2020 except in containment zones.

Yes, the Central Government has directed employers to ensure its employees install the Government’s contact-tracing app, Arogya Setu.

The Centre has directed that all Containment Zones will come under the Lockdown restrictions till 30 June 2020. During this period, only essential services will be allowed. The Centre has directed States and Union Territories (UTs) to identify buffer zones around the Containment Zones and Lockdown restrictions will be enforced accordingly.

No. The Centre will take a decision during the Phase 3 of the Unlock period, which is expected to be in July. The decision will be taken after consultation with parents and other stakeholders.

Religious places along with other places such as hotels, shopping malls and restaurants will open from 8 June 2020.

No. Gymnasiums continue to be closed during the extended lockdown from 01 to 30 June 2020.

Unrestricted movement of persons is allowed inter-state and intra-state and no approval or permission or e-pass is required for such movements. However, state governments will regulate the movement based on the local situation.

People have to wear masks and maintain social distancing in public places. Also, people are advised to maintain personal hygiene.

While the Centre has allowed the opening of shopping malls in the country, States have the right to decide and regulate the operations of malls in their respective states.

Yes. While the Centre has eased the movement of people inter- and intra-state, state governments can choose to close their borders and not allow persons from other states.

Earlier the West Bengal government had laid strict rules for imposing a fresh lockdown in the state due to rising CVID-19 cases. However, the NEET examinations are being held on September 13, 2020, and students are required to travel to the examination centres. The lockdown was supposed to be observed on September 11 and 12, however, now there will be no restrictions on travelling on the 12th. Students can now sigh a breath of relief as their requests to lift the lockdown on the 12th are granted. The state of West Bengal will be observing a biweekly lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19. Only essential services will be allowed on the lockdown days. Schools and other educational institutes will remain closed till September 20, 2020. This announcement was made by West Bengal chief minister, Mamata Banerjee via Twitter. At this point in time, the state of West Bengal has 23377 active COVID-19 cases. 166027 people have been either cured or discharged and unfortunately, 3771 people have lost their lives to this deadly disease.

After the issuance of the Unlock 4 guidelines by the Central Government, the State Government of Madhya Pradesh has modified its lockdown measures. They have decided to bring about relaxation in the ongoing lockdown measures. As a result, the state-wide Sunday lockdowns stand withdrawn. However, cinema halls are not allowed to function until the end of September 2020. Swimming pools shall also remain non-functional till 30 September 2020. The Sunday lockdown measures were in place as per an order in August, that now stands repealed. From 21 September 2020, social and sports events, and political rallies will be allowed. However, there will be a limit of a hundred attendees for such events. Open-air theatres can be operational from 21 September 2020. The need for an e-pass for travelling within the state has been withdrawn and people can travel in and out of the state without them.

The Union Home Ministry has already issued fresh guidelines for the Unlock 4 in the country. Even though the country is opening up for economic activities, the virus is still out there, and it is spreading at a rapid pace. Now, the weekend restrictions have been extended in Noida and Greater Noida. The weekend restrictions will continue till September 30. As per previously announced guidelines, weekend lockdown will come into effect from Friday 10 PM and will end on Monday 5 AM. Metro services will also resume in a phased manner from September 7, and a fresh set of guidelines will be issued for the same. All schools and colleges will remain closed until the end of the month. However, students studying in class 9-12 will be allowed to visit schools from the 21st of September, if they are residing outside the containment zone. Again a written consent from parents is a must. Apart from that all movie theatres, swimming pools, auditoriums, parks will be shut. Only open-air theatres are given an exception, and they can open from 21st of September. Authorities have also asked senior citizens, children below 10 years of age and pregnant women to stay indoors to avoid the risk of infection.

The Government of Uttar Pradesh has brought about a change in the schedule concerning the state-wide lockdown. As per the latest developments, the weekend lockdown has been restricted to just one day. Markets shall remain open on Saturday but be closed on Sunday in the state. Apart from Sunday, the markets shall remain open for the rest of the week for 12 hours from 9 in the morning to 9 in the night. The revised lockdown will apply from the midnight of Saturday to the midnight of Sunday. As per the previous weekend lockdown measures, markets and several establishments used to be shut from Friday night. The timings of the previous lockdown were from 10 PM Friday to 5 AM Monday. These measures were in place since mid-July; however, they have been replaced with the above-mentioned decision that shall be enforced during the ongoing week.

The State Government of West Bengal has extended the lockdown. It has been extended until the end of the current month. As per the guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs, educational institutions within the state shall remain closed during the lockdown. Cinema halls, park areas, and swimming pools shall also remain non-functional to avoid the spread of COVID-19. However, there is a relaxation for open-air theatres. They can be operational from 21 September 2020 provided permission for the same is received from the local authorities. The state will also go into a complete lockdown for three days in September 2020. The dates for this complete lockdown are 7, 11, and 12 September. During this complete lockdown, offices belonging to the private sector and establishments of a commercial nature shall remain non-operational. The complete lockdown will also affect public and private transport as it shall not be permitted. Essential services shall remain operational.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has declared that the need for e-pass for travelling within India has ended and the people are no longer required to seek permission for visiting any part of the country. This announcement is a part of Unlock 4.0. During the announcement, the ministry clarified that educational institutions will remain closed till September 30, 2020. Metro rail construction had been going on in full swing before the pandemic had begun. These operations can resume from September 07. Social gatherings can take place with a maximum of 100 people who follow basic protocols like wearing masks and using sanitizers. There are currently 785996 active cases in India, 2839882 people have been cured or discharged. An unfortunately 65288 people have lost their lives. Additional guidelines about resuming activities in areas that are outside the containment zones are also been issued.

As per a recent announcement by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in India, citizens will not be required to obtain e-passes for intra-state and inter-state travelling. They will no longer be needed to register themselves on Government websites to travel within the country. Earlier, people travelling outside their districts and states were required to obtain an e-pass for their journey owing to the COVID-19 situation. Unlock 4 guidelines do not state any such requirements. No permits or approvals are necessary for such movement. The new guidelines have come in place from 1 September 2020. The new guidelines do not impose restrictions on the movement of people or goods and facilitates opening of the economy. Although the e-pass and other restrictions have been removed, cinema halls, educational institutions, public parks, and swimming pools, etc. shall remain non-functional.

The government of West Bengal has announced an extension for a partial lockdown. It has been extended till September 2020. The dates on which people are supposed to remain in lockdown are August 27 (Thursday), August 31 (Monday), September 7 (Monday), September 11 (Friday) , and September 12 (Saturday). Only essential services will be allowed to function and shops will be closed during the lockdown. Other offices that include private establishments, government run services, commercial establishments, etc. will also remain closed. Universities, colleges, and schools can resume after the period of lockdown is over, i.e. from September 20, 2020. About air travel, the chief minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee said that previously flights from 6 severely-hit COVID-19 states were restricted but from September 01, such flights will be allowed to operate 3 times a week. There are currenlty 26954 active COVID-19 cases in West Bengal. 117857 people have been either cured or discharged and unfortunatly 2964 poeple have lost their lives to the deadly disease.

As of today, there are 81230 active COVID-19 cases in the state of Karnataka. In spite of this high count, the government has decided to revoke all restrictions imposed to curb the spread of Coronavirus. Travellers need not apply for an e-pass from the Seva Sindhu website, they can freely travel interstate without prior permission. Rules related to quarantine are also removed. A 14-day quarantine is not applicable anymore. Now those travellers who are asymptomatic can resume work as normal. But they are expected to be alert about the onset of COVID-19 symptoms. In case symptoms arise, they should seek advice from Apthamitra by calling the 14410 helpline number. This announcement was made by the Additional Chief Secretary of Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Department, Jawaid Akhtar. The rules also apply to people seeking entrance into the borders of Karnataka and are to be followed with immediate effect in every part of the state.

COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the tourism industry around the world. India is witnessing a similar situation and the economies of regions that rely heavily upon tourism are seeing an all-time low. However, the situation seems to improve in Himachal Pradesh, a hilly area that is popular especially for its beautiful scenery. The state government has decided to ease the rules and restrictions related to the Coronavirus lockdown. Earlier tourists were allowed to stay in Himachal Pradesh for two days, now this limit has been extended to four days. Another rule that the tourists had to follow was, their COVID-19 test reports could not be more than 72 hours old. This has now changed to 96 hours. The new rules are in accordance with the guidelines stated by the Central Government for Unlock 3. Moving through the borders would still require prior permission in the form of an e-pass. This will help the authorities to monitor the flow of tourists in and out of Himachal Pradesh.

Amidst the rising COVID-19 cases in the state, the authorities have extended the lockdown in Bihar. The lockdown has been extended till 6 September 2020. The government extended the lockdown via a statement. As per the statement, the restrictions mentioned in the memo no. 102/f4.F.31t issued on 30 July 2020 will be applicable till 6 September 2020. The activities permitted in the state before the statement will continue to be permitted. Detailed guidelines regarding the lockdown were issued by the government earlier. Banks and Automated Telling Machines (ATMs) shall remain functional. Insurance offices will also be open. Restaurants can operate based on takeaway services. E-commerce services are allowed. Educational institutions, places of worship, and sports and cultural complexes shall remain non-operational. Malls, cinema halls, and swimming pools will not open during the extended lockdown period. Private vehicles can move about only for limited activities.

BS4 is the short-form for Bharat Stage 4. The term is associated with the emission norms of a car or a bike’s engine. These norms are set by the Indian government to keep the pollution levels in check. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the related lockdown, several BS4 vehicles could not be registered. However, the Supreme Court has now permitted the registration of such vehicles provided they were sold before the lockdown. This judgment has been passed after the filing of an affidavit by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA). Registrations made on the government’s online Vahan portal are permissible. Note that this does not apply to vehicles that were sold in the Delhi-NCR location. Post-April 2020, BS6 norms have been introduced in the country. However, the transition from BS4 to BS6 has been bumpy due to the problems triggered by the ongoing pandemic.

The Union Territory of Puducherry will be under total lockdown on Tuesdays of the month. The decision comes amid the rise in the COVID-19 cases. The government announced the lockdown measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. The Chief Minister announced the decision after a meeting with the State Disaster Management Authority. The government also announced that all shops, commercial establishments and trade houses will remain closed from 7 pm on other days. The Union Territory witnessed its highest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases with more than 480 people testing positive. The total number of COVID-19 infections in the UT stands at 2,616 cases. The novel coronavirus was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) after the virus spread across the globe affecting almost every country in the world. India went under lockdown during late March and April. Thereafter, it has been staggered by lockdowns, especially the respective state governments taking measures to contain the spread of the virus such as Social Distancing, Lockdowns, restricted activities, etc.

The state government of Manipur has decided to extend the complete lockdown across the state until 15 August to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. Initially, the government had imposed a complete lockdown until 6 August; however, with new cases reported in the state, the state machinery had taken the decision to extend the lockdown until the 15th of August. Certain restrictions have been relaxed in a staggered manner for the benefit of the general public. Local shops are allowed to operate between 8 am to 12 pm and home delivery of essential items are allowed. Meanwhile, wholesale establishments are allowed to open from 10 am to 3 pm except on Sundays. All people and vehicles related to essential services are allowed to operate as well. Goods vehicles are allowed to operate, while shops and truck repair shops on highways are allowed to be open. Banks in the state will operate with 50% staffing, while ATMs will be open as well. The novel coronavirus referred to as COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) after the virus infected several people across the world.

Some regions that fall under Assam state government are kept shut for the next seven days starting from today i.e. August 06 to August 12. The regions that fall under the jurisdiction of Tinsukia and Makum municipal corporations will be under a lockdown. This is being done in the hopes to contain the spread of COVID-19 that has gripped the world. During the lockdown, people delivering essential services in these regions will be tested for Rapid Antigen which is created in the body to fight the disease. This test has been made mandatory by the authorities. The decision of imposing a lockdown was taken after Assam witnessed the highest single-day spike in Coronavirus cases. Two thousand eight hundred and eighty six cases were reported in Assam on August 05, 2020. This has increased the tally to 48161 COVID-19 cases in the state. A large number of police personnels have also been tested positive in Assam.

Authorities at Kolkata airport announced that there will be no flight services during the revised lockdown days announced by the state government of West Bengal. Flight operations will not be available in Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on all revised lockdown days starting from 5 August 2020. Hence, flight operations will not be available on the 5th, 8th, 20th, 21st, 27th, 28th and 31st of this month. The state government had decided to extend the lockdown and impose a bi-weekly complete lockdown; however, the state machinery decided to modify the dates after it received requests from various quarters of the society. The West Bengal government decided to extend the lockdown in the state amid the rapid rise in novel coronavirus infections in the state. The novel coronavirus or COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in early March this year after it spread across the world and affected several lives.

Due to the ongoing lockdown in the state of West Bengal, all banks operating in the state will remain closed. The state government has extended the lockdown until 31 August 2020 to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus in the state. With the lockdown in place until the end of August, all banks will be closed on August 5th, 8th, 20th, 21st, 27th, 28th and 31st. Prior to this change, the lockdown was to be observed on the 5th, 8th, 16th, 17th, 23rd, 24th and 31st; however, this has been changed after the CM announced shorter lockdown days based on the requests from various quarters of the society. The novel coronavirus was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in early March this year after the virus known as COVID-19 spread across several countries across the world. State and central government have taken several measures to contain the spread of the virus such as a lockdown.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has issued new guidelines in the city as a part of the state’s Mission Begin Again initiative. Earlier, malls and shopping complexes were not allowed to function due to the lockdown. However, the new guidelines have allowed them to function from 9 AM to 7 PM. This guideline will come into place from 5 August 2020. Therefore, shopping complexes and malls can open in Mumbai from 5 August 2020; however, restaurants, food courts, and theatres within those complexes will not be allowed to function because of the ongoing pandemic. The kitchens of these restaurants can function as home delivery via aggregators is permitted. The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) has also removed certain restrictions and has allowed shops on either side of the road to stay open. Earlier, the shops had to follow the odd-even rule to stay functional.

The State Government of West Bengal has changed the lockdown dates for August. This change has been made as some dates coincided with certain festivals and local customs. As per the new guidelines, the lockdown will be in place on 5, 8, 20, 21, 27, 28, and 31 August 2020. Therefore, the state will observe bi-weekly lockdown in August 2020. Earlier, it was announced that the lockdown will be implemented on 5, 8, 16, 17, 23, 24, and 31 August. From the previous list, the lockdown will be in place on 5, 8, and 31 August but the other dates have been changed as stated above. Previously, the lockdown on 2 and 9 August 2020 was also withdrawn. This withdrawal brought the number of lockdown days to seven from nine in August 2020. Such a change was also due to dates coinciding with certain festivals.

In the wake of rising Covid-19 positive cases in the state of Tamil Nadu, the Chief Minister of the state announced the extension of the lockdown until 31 August 2020. While the lockdown was extended, several relaxations were announced as well. All private establishments and offices are allowed to operate with the strength of a maximum of 75% capacity. Also, the lockdown on Sundays will continue across Tamil Nadu. The TN government wanted to take a measured approach while relaxing the restrictions. As for the relaxations, the state government allowed delivery of all goods by e-commerce firms. Restaurants are allowed to operate with 50% capacity between 6 am and 7 pm, while the takeaway option is allowed from 6 am to 9 pm. While there are several relaxations on curbs, containment zones will continue to be under intense lockdown until the end of August. Cinema halls, theatres, auditoriums, schools, colleges and other educational institutions will remain closed until the end of August. The CM said that based on the intensity of the spread of the coronavirus, relaxations on curbs will be allowed, but in a phased manner. The novel coronavirus was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in early March after it spread across the world affecting several lives.

The Union Government has issued guidelines towards Unlock 3.0 under which gyms and yoga centres can open for business, while the lockdown will continue in containment zones until 31 August 2020. Gyms and yoga centres have to operate as the guidelines issued by the centre, which includes social distancing. Also, the centre approved independence celebrations in the country with social distancing measures and guidelines being implemented. Also, among the guidelines are permission for inter- and intra-state travel and no e-permit/approval is required. However, respective state governments can have their guidelines in terms of travel within the state or to even allow outside people to enter the state. As for air flights, international travel is allowed under the Vande Bharat banner. While the centre relaxed several restrictions, it said that schools, colleges and other educational institutions will remain closed until 31 August 2020. This also applies to cinema halls, theatres, swimming pools, auditoriums and bars.

In the back of rising COVID-19 cases in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, the lockdown will be extended with some relaxations except in containment zones until further notice. The state reported 1,167 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, its highest single-day spike in positive cases. With this, the state has recorded a total of 20,894 infections and deaths of 67. During the lockdown, all shops will be operational from 7 am to 7 pm and have to follow the guidelines for COVID-19. Also, all shops should be open to senior citizens from 4 pm to 6 pm. Both state and central government offices shall be open with one-third of the staff. Restaurants and hotels are allowed to operate but only for takeaways and deliveries and not for dining. Also, home deliveries are allowed in non-containment zones. Taxis, auto-rickshaws and public transport shall operate with 50% capacity. Malls, hypermarkets, salons, beauty parlours and spas will be closed until further orders from the state government.

In the wake of the sudden spike in COVID-19 positive cases in the state of Karnataka, the Medical Education Minister of the state said that Karnataka is likely to adopt a centralised system to classify symptomatic, asymptomatic & mild symptomatic persons. He added that based on the severity of the case, treatment will be accordingly recommended. The state has recorded more than 2000 cases on Tuesday and deaths of 102 persons. Bengaluru reported that it recorded 957 deaths so far, while other districts such as Mysore recorded deaths of 123. Meanwhile, the Kodagu administration lifted the ban on tourists to the hilly region. As per the order of the administration, homestays, resorts and lodges can operate and allow tourists; however, visits to sightseeing places such as Raja Seat, Abbey Falls and other places of interest are closed for tourists.

In an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus in the state of West Bengal, the Chief Minister of the state announced that the bi-weekly lockdown will be extended until the end of August. This means that the entire state will observe a complete shutdown for two days every week. The bi-weekly lockdown was supposed to end on 31 July; however, the state machinery has decided to extend it to 31st August. With the new lockdown announcement, the state will observe lockdown on 5, 8, 16, 17, 23, 24 and 31 of August. Also, the CM announced that the lockdown measured in containment zones will continue until the end of August. The CM added that the two-day lockdown will be mostly observed on Saturdays and Sundays; however, with Eid and Independence day falling on Saturdays, the lockdown will be observed on other days. During the lockdown, all government and private offices along with public and private transport, commercial establishments will remain closed.

A brief on COVID-19 in an Urban World by the Secretary-General of the United Nations has revealed that the levels of greenhouse gases like Nitrogen dioxide have reduced significantly during the lockdown. Many countries were forced to withdraw their day to day operations, halt the economy, and carry out any possible work remotely. This has had a positive effect on the quality of air in countries like India, China, and The United States of America. It has been observed that the air in the capital state of Delhi had become cleaner by 70%. This can lead to a huge effect on the health of people living or working in Delhi. The Coronavirus directly affects the respiration system of a person and if the air is polluted, it can have a rapid effect on the number of COVID-19 cases in the region. Even Though the levels of harmful gases have reduced drastically, the UN secretary has warned that this could be a temporary effect if strict policies related to controlling air pollution are not in place by the end of this pandemic.

A few months ago, the functioning of Mumbai’s local trains was stopped during the lockdown due to the COVID-19 threat. Close to 80 lakh people used to rely on local trains for their daily commute. However, Social Distancing norms did not allow for such kind of travel. After some time, partial relaxation was allowed for those engaged in essential services. However, the general public was advised against it. Recently, QR-based e-passes were made compulsory for train travellers engaged in essential services. Various other measures are also being undertaken by the Central Railway and Western Railway authorities regarding safety and security amidst the ongoing crisis. Suggestions offered by the experts do not show encouraging signs of large-scale usage of Mumbai’s local trains, as they feel the service should not be opened for the general public till the end of September 2020. They are also against the usage of air-conditioned locals.

Bengaluru has been in lockdown since 8 PM on 14 July and ends on 22 July at 5 AM. This was done to contain the sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in the city. Bengaluru has reported a sudden increase in positive cases since this month and prompted the state machinery to impose a weeklong lockdown. The city has reported more than 33,000 cases so far. Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa announced that the current lockdown will not be extended except in containment zones. He added that the state government is working day and night to help curb the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus, which has affected several lives across the world. At a virtual press conference, the CM said that he would like to clarify that there will be no extension of the lockdown from 22 July and stressed that there will be no more lockdown in the city as well as the state. He also appealed to the public for cooperation in containing the spread of COVID-19. On Friday, the CM has said that lockdowns are not a solution to contain the virus instead he ordered state machinery to follow 5Ts – trace, track, test, treat, technology to curb the virus in the state. He appealed to people to wear masks and maintain social distancing norms and other guidelines to reduce viral infections. He added that those who violate the guidelines will have to face police action.

Amid the ongoing lockdown in Bengaluru to curb the spread of the deadly COVID-19 in the city, there have been speculations about the extension of the lockdown. However, Chief Minister of Karnataka said that lockdown is not a solution. He added that the government has not received any proposal for the extension of the lockdown in Bengaluru. Bengaluru went into lockdown from 15 July to 22 July 2020 to contain the sudden spurt in positive cases of the novel coronavirus. With the numbers still among the highest, there is a clamour for the lockdown to be extended for another 15 days. The Chief Minister took stock of the prevailing conditions and he had a meeting with concerned authorities to assess the situation. Previously, the Mayor of the city and the city commissioner favoured a 15-day lockdown instead of the current 7 days. Karnataka, especially Bengaluru, did not witness spikes in positive cases; however, in July the numbers have gone up significantly.

The city of Noida in Uttar Pradesh will be put under lockdown on the weekend. The list of containment zones is now available on the internet. Owing to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the state, two districts have tight security on their borders. These districts are Ghaziabad and Noida. Nearly 2878 patients from these districts were discharged have been sent home after getting cured. The Gautam Budh Nagar area reported two fresh cases of COVID-19 and two deaths. This increased the death toll to 37 in the area. This decreased the recovery rate to 74.52% from 75.58%. The top three districts to have the most numbers of COVID-19 cases are Lucknow, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddh Nagar. There are currently 15720 active cases in the state of Uttar Pradesh, 26675 people have been either cured or discharged and unfortunately, 1046 people have lost their lives. These figures account to a total of 43441 cases in the state.

Bengaluru is under lockdown owing to the rising number of cases in the city. This lockdown will end on July 22, however, the mayor is looking to extend it. He has observed that people are still not understanding the seriousness of the situation and are wandering on the streets without a genuine reason to leave the house. There is no other solution but to increase the duration of the lockdown if people continue to do so. Essential services are allowed to remain open from 5 am to 12 pm. These include milk shops, groceries, etc. All kinds of public transport have been stopped. Earlier, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had assured people that there would be no extension to the current lockdown because no one had proposed it. However, now that the mayor is seeking an extension, there are high chances that the lockdown will be extended.

Owing to a high number of per-day cases in districts like Cuttack, Khorha, Jaipur, and Ganjam, the authorities have decided to enforce a lockdown of 14 days. People will be allowed to buy groceries from 6 am to 1 pm but under strict social distancing norms. RBI, ATM’s, financial markets, and other payment systems will remain operational but with minimum staff. People are supposed to follow rules pertaining to the lockdown and any violation will attract punishment under Section 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. Also, legal action will be taken under Section 1BB of the Indian Penal Code. Apart from these any violation applicable under Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 will also be charged on the offender. The decision for enforcing a lockdown in these regions came after it was observed that more than 66% of cases were from these regions.

The state government of Assam may opt for a staggered approach while reopening Guwahati after three weeks of lockdown. Assam Health Minister said that during the reopening of the city, a COVID-19 hotspot in the state, not everything will be opened immediately, the government will choose to open the city in a staggered manner. The state has begun 60 COVID-19 screening centres in the city and will treat mild symptomatic persons with an aggressive approach. The Assam government said that they will follow the ‘Test-Trace-Treat’ approach as per the guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to fight the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus. Also, about 150 medical personnel will be roped in to test several lakhs of people in the state of Assam. So far, the state has tested over 1 lakh people in Guwahati and is expected to be ramped to about 3 lakh people. The state hopes to have at least 90 screening centres by the end of the week.

The state government of Maharashtra has announced a full lockdown in the Pune city after experiencing a tremendous surge in per day COVID-19 cases. This is a complete lockdown and only essential services will be allowed. These services include doctor’s clinic, pharmacies, milk shops, etc. Additionally, emergency services like ambulance, fire stations, police stations, etc. are allowed. One cause of concern is that the grocery stores are kept shut during the lockdown and will open on July 19, after the lockdown lifts. These will remain open from 8 am to 12 pm after the lockdown. Only government offices will remain open and work on 10% of headcount capacity, while private offices are not allowed to open. Salons and spas are to remain shut. Fuel stations are open from 9 am to 2 pm. Maharashtra still tops the list of most COVID-19 cases in the country. Currently, there are 112099 active cases in the state, 152613 people have been either cured or discharged and unfortunately, 10928 people have lost their lives. This makes it a total of 275640 people affected by Coronavirus in Maharashtra.

The spike in coronavirus cases in India has prompted several state governments to announce a total lockdown, especially in containment zones. Karnataka has announced a total lockdown from 14 July onwards for a period of 7 days and ends on 22nd July morning. West Bengal has extended the lockdown to 19 July which was supposed to end on 15 July. Tripura state government has announced a total lockdown in areas bordering Bangladesh. During the lockdown in Karnataka, only essential services will be allowed while liquor shops, bars and malls will be closed. Karnataka has witnessed a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases, especially in the districts of Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Rural. This has prompted the CM to announce a total lockdown in containment zones across the state and not restricted only to Bengaluru. The novel coronavirus has spread across the world and has affected several lives.

The state government of Karnataka announced a total lockdown in eight districts, including Bengaluru, which continues to be the worst-affected city in the state. The state government said both Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Rural will go on total lockdown from 8 pm on 14 July onwards. Districts such as Dharwad and Dakshina Kannada will go into lockdown from 15 July, while Kalaburgi, Bidar, Raichur and Yadgir will observe lockdown as well. Karnataka Chief Minister announced the decision to lock down certain districts after COVID-19 cases have significantly risen in the last couple of weeks. He asked the respective district heads to ensure the implementation of the lockdown is smooth with any hiccups. Essential services will continue to remain open while non-essential goods are banned during the lockdown. One can venture out only due to an emergency situation. Essential goods such as vegetables, milk, etc. will be open during the lockdown but with a restricted time frame. Liquor shops, bars and malls will be shut during the lockdown period.

The State Government of Tripura has announced a total lockdown in the state to arrest the spread of the novel coronavirus. The areas, which are under lockdown, are areas which share borders with neighbouring country Bangladesh. The total shutdown will be effective from 7 pm on 17 July onwards and will be for a total of 7 days. Also, the lockdown will be observed in border areas in rural areas and 500 meters in municipal locations from the border. During the lockdown, movement of people is prohibited except for medical emergencies. Also, offices, schools and colleges will remain closed during the lockdown period. The lockdown comes amid cases emerging from border areas with no travel history. Apart from Tripura, several other states have announced a lockdown in their respective states to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the lockdown in Bengaluru, Karnataka begins from 8 pm on 14th July onwards, Bihar has announced that the lockdown will start from 16 July and West Bengal has extended the lockdown to 19 July.

The state government of West Bengal has announced a lockdown in Kolkata, Malda, Jalpaiguri, Raiganj, Cooch Behar, and Siliguri until 19 July 2020. It has been extended from 15 to 19 July 2020 to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the state. Emphasis will be on containment zones in Kolkata where the enforcement will be given special attention. Previously, the West Bengal government had imposed a total lockdown in parts of the state, including Kolkata and other cities in the northern part of the state from 9 to 15 July, which has been further extended. The announcement comes amid rising fatalities in the state, which now stands at 980 deaths. The total number of novel coronavirus cases in the state is 32,838 of which 11,927 are active cases and 718 persons have recovered so far. The novel coronavirus has spread across the world and affected almost every country in the world.

Tripura police and civil administration has been collecting fines from people who are found violating the rules for lockdown. There are so many offences against wearing masks and breaking of rules that the government collected Rs. 1.13 crore rupees from the offenders. Among these, Rs 68.28 lakh was collected from only those who did not wear a mask to cover their face. It is very unfortunate that people are not taking the rules seriously and repeatedly violating the protocols. Additionally, people are also unaware of or chose to ignore the rules related to social distancing. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the government has been trying to make people aware of the deadly effects of Coronavirus and has asked to take measures against the spread. Washing hands with soap and water, maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet between yourself and other people, etc. are the main precautions one needs to take to avoid getting infected by COVID-19.

After a nation-wide lockdown was lifted to allow access to people and efforts were made to restore the failing economy, the country experienced a surge in COVID-19 cases. Due to this, several state authorities have declared lockdowns that may help in flattening the curve. The Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, Bihar State has announced the dates for lockdown. It will happen between July 16 to July 31. He added that the guidelines for following the lockdown are being prepared and will be made available to the public very soon. This decision was taken in a cabinet meeting which was chaired by Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar. This will be a complete lockdown and all public places like malls, colleges, schools, places like temples, mosques, gurudwara, church, etc. will also remain closed. There are currently 5482 active cases in Bihar, 12317 people have been either cured or discharged from medical facilities, and 160 people have lost their lives. Overall 17959 people have been affected by Coronavirus in this state.

COVID-19 is spreading rapidly in the country. With no vaccine or reduction in the number of per-day cases, state governments are forced to take stricture actions to avoid people from gathering in large numbers. Earlier, 50 people were allowed to attend a wedding in the state, however, Chief Minister of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh announced that now only 30 people will be allowed at a wedding or other social functions, while only five people are allowed at a gathering. In case anyone is found violating these instructions, the authorities will be allowed to file the First Information Report (FIR) in the name of the offender. Currently, there are 2388 active cases in the state of Punjab, 5586 people are free from the virus, and 204 people have unfortunately lost their lives. The total number of people affected by COVID-19 is 8178 in Punjab.

Extended lockdowns have been imposed in various parts of India to curb the fast-spreading Coronavirus. This has made the citizens anxious, especially in the capital city of Bengaluru, Karnataka. Here people are unaware of the exact plans that the state government will follow with respect to an extension of lockdown. However, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has given an assurance that currently there are no plans to extend the lockdown. He has asked citizens to remain calm and cooperate with the officials as no proposal has been submitted about the extension. The current lockdown will last for one week starting from the night of July 14. He had tweeted about this news after many migrant workers started leaving Bengaluru when the lockdown was announced. In Karnataka, there are currently 24576 active cases of COVID-19 and 757 people have succumbed to the deadly disease.

Pune has seen a large number of rapidly growing COVID-19 cases since the beginning of this pandemic. The authorities are struggling to flatten the cure, however, the virus is spreading like wildfire. To try and contain the spread, authorities have imposed a 10-days strict lockdown in the city. No person will be allowed to leave their house without a valid reason. Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code has been imposed in the city. According to this rule, no more than four people can gather anywhere in the city. This rule also prohibits citizens from carrying any firearms, however, this part of the rule is irrelevant in the current situation. Pune is under lockdown for 10 days starting from July 14 to July 23. These 10 days are divided into two phases – Phase 1 where the rules related to lockdown will be very strictly followed, and Phase 2 where some relaxation will be seen. Maharashtra tops the list of most number of COVID-19 cases in the country.

The completed lockdown in Madurai will last till the midnight of 14 July 2020. Sunday, 12 July 2020 was supposed to be the last day of the complete lockdown in Madurai. However, due to the rising number of cases in the district, the strict restrictions have been extended for two more days till 12 July 2020. Tamil Nadu has imposed a lockdown in the state till 31 July 2020 but that is a general one and features some relaxations. The extended lockdown in Madurai is comparatively stricter. As per the available data on Sunday, 12 July 2020, the number of cases in Tamil Nadu is 1,38,470. Out of these, more than four thousand cases were reported on Sunday itself. The number of COVID-19 deaths in Tamil Nadu is nearing two thousand – it stands at 1,966. Sunday also marked the highest number of tests conducted as 41,325 people were tested for infection.

As per the data on 12 July 2020, Karnataka has become the fifth-most COVID-19 affected Indian state considering the number of cases. Karnataka surpassed Uttar Pradesh and is currently ranked fifth. Maharashtra continues to be the most affected followed by Tamil Nadu, Delhi, and Gujarat. Karnataka has recorded 617 COVID-19 deaths so far, 367 of which were reported in July. 70 deaths were reported in the southern state on 11 July 2020. A few days ago, it was decided that Pune will be under lockdown and now, Bengaluru is also following the same measures. Bengaluru will be in lockdown from 14 July to 22 July. Earlier, Bengaluru had witnessed lockdowns over the weekends but the rise in numbers has led to stricter restrictions during the weekdays as well. The daily growth rate of cases in India is on the decline but it is increasing in Karnataka – it is 7.7 per cent in the state.

Amidst the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Pune, the State Government of Maharashtra has decided to impose strict lockdown measures in the city. The lockdown will be from 13 July 2020 till 23 July 2020. Essential services such as pharmacies shall remain accessible. The government has made such a move to break the transmission chain. This lockdown will be in place in Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad and other areas of the district. Pune’s Municipal Commissioner, Shekhar Gaikwad mentioned that detailed order concerning the restrictions will be issued soon. Thursday, 9 July 2020, witnessed 1,803 fresh coronavirus cases in Pune making it the area’s highest single-day spike. This spike has taken the total number of cases in Pune to 34,399. Out of 34,399 cases, 24,997 cases are in the limits of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). More than half of the single-day spike numbers were also from areas under the PMC.

Many rules and regulations have been changed in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. Suggestions to change the validity period of cheques were also being considered. However, the Supreme Court has decided that the validity period of a cheque will not change amid the Coronavirus situation. The Reserve Bank of India was against changing the validity of a cheque as it could have greatly affected the banking operations. This decision was taken by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sharad Arvind Bobde, and two other judges – Justices R Subhash Reddy and AS Bopanna. It was a three-judge bench. The three-month validity of a cheque was decided by RBI under Section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act. All banking systems are supposed to follow this rule across the country and to not change the validity of the cheque in any manner. Currently, there are 276682 active cases in the country, 495515 people have been either cured or discharged, and 21604 have lost their lives to the deadly virus. Overall 793801 people are affected by COVID-19 in India.

Coronavirus crossed the thresholds of Jodhpur High Court. The personal secretary of High Court judge has tested positive for COVID-19. Due to this, the court has been closed until further notice because the person came in direct contact with many other people including, lawyers, judges, and others. This is not the first time that the High Court has closed due to Coronavirus, earlier two other employees were also tested positive. Sodium hypochlorite solution was used to sanitize the premises of the High Court after the PA’s reports came out positive. Employees that fit the risk profile for COVID-19 i.e. people above the age of 65 years have been asked to remain home and use video conferencing for addressing the court. There are currently 5002 active cases in the state of Rajasthan, 17070 people have been either cured or discharged, and 491 people have lost their lives to the deadly disease. Overall 22563 people in the state of Rajasthan are affected by Coronavirus.

In the wake of the rapid rise in novel coronavirus cases in the country and especially in Bihar, the state government has decided to enforce a lockdown in the city of Patna. The lockdown will be observed from tomorrow onwards. Movement of vehicles will be regulated for a week and only essential services will be permitted from 10 July 2020. Commercial activities, offices and markets will be closed or banned during the lockdown period. Private vehicles have been banned except for essential services and medical emergencies. One needs to obtain an e-pass to ply in public roads. The lockdown period begins on 10 July and ends on 16 July 2020. The COVID-19, which was first reported in late 2019, has spread rapidly across continents and affected several lives in all countries. Currently, India is the third worst-affected country in the world.

The number of COVID-19 cases has been increasing tremendously in the capital city of Bangalore. The state government is looking at different solutions that would help contain the number of these cases in the state especially in the city that has become a hotspot. One of the solutions is to assign ministers to different zones and ask them to personally look after the activities of the area. The Chief Minister of Karnataka, B S Yediyurappa has taken this decision in a meeting he chaired. Due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, more beds, and oxygen devices will be provided to medical centres. The number of tests will also be increased where the results will be delivered on priority. More labs and lab technicians will be roped in to balance the increasing load on current staff, some of whom are under quarantine themselves. There are 16531 active cases, 11876 people have been either cured or discharged, and 470 deaths have occurred in the state of Karnataka as of today. A total of 28,877 people have been affected by the disease in the state to date.

The State Government of Kerala has brought about an amendment in the State Epidemic Disease Ordinance. The regulations put in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic have been extended for a year. Now, basic regulations such as covering the face with a mask, practising Social Distancing, and not being a part of large social gatherings will be applicable until July 2021. Instructions regarding the compliance of the guidelines have been issued to the District Collectors. Monday, 6 July 2020 brought with it the news of a strict lockdown in Thiruvananthapuram. The intense lockdown will be in place for a week. This comes after the state capital recorded 22 out of 38  coronavirus cases in Kerala on the previous day. The capital has witnessed a hike in the number of cases and the sources of the infection are yet to be known.

The Tamil Nadu Government had imposed intense restrictions in Chennai concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. Such restrictions were in place in Chennai and other districts of the state to curb the coronavirus from spreading. Monday onwards, some of these strict restrictions are set to be lifted in Chennai. On Saturday, 4 July 2020, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Edappadi K Palaniswami mentioned that relaxations concerning the lockdown in the city of Chennai will come into effect from Monday, 6 July 2020. 12-hour permission from 6 AM to 6 PM has been given to vegetable shops and groceries. Tea shops can also operate during this 12-hour period, provided they only offer takeaway services. Showrooms and businesses, excluding malls, can operate from 10 AM to 6 PM. As per the available data on Sunday, 5 July 2020, the number of coronavirus cases in Tamil Nadu was at 1,11,151 and the death toll was at 1,510.

Karnataka is in the fourth position as of today in the list of the highest number of state-wise cases in the country. The single-day surge has become a cause of great concern for the BS Yediyurappa-led Karnataka government. According to them, imposing strict lockdowns on containment zones will possibly help in curbing the spread of COVID-19 in the region. Authorities have been asked to identify and seal containment zones. The capital of the state, Bengaluru has witnessed the highest number of cases in Karnataka. Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, C. N. Ashwath Narayan is looking after COVID Care Centres, while Minister of Revenue Department, R. Ashoka is managing private health care facilities and Minister for Medical Education of Karnataka, K. Sudhakar is managing COVID war room. As of today, there are 13255 active cases in the state, 9847 people have been either cured of the disease or at least discharged, and 372 deaths have occurred due to COVID-19.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy flagged off more than 1000 ambulances for medical services in the state. The CM launched 104 and 108 ambulances and said that for the first time the government is launching the concept of a family doctor for each citizen of the state. He added that this type of concept is along the lines of the system followed in the United Kingdom. He flagged off the ultra-modern mobile medical units and ambulances while inaugurating the comprehensive cancer care centre at the Guntur Government General Hospital. He added that the day is important as it is the Doctor’s Day and flagging off the concept is a record and launching them for child healthcare is, even more, a joyful occasion for him. Two neonatal ambulances will be stationed at each of the districts of the state. Also, through this initiative, electronic health records will be created for each citizen of the state. Elaborating further, he added that two PHCs will be operational in each mandals in the state along with one doctor in each of these PHCs. Also, there will be one doctor available through the 104 ambulances.

The State Government of Maharashtra is all set to acquire private ambulances and vehicles to ferry COVID-19 patients in the state. It will be the first state in the country to do so. Prices for the services of private ambulances will be as per the RTO guidelines. The state government has notified Municipal Corporations and district administration to get RTO registered private ambulances and cap the price as per RTO rules and regulations. It added that if the District Administration and the Municipal Corporation acquire private ambulances in case they fall short of ambulances to transfer non-serious and asymptomatic patients. The resolution will come into effect from 2 July 2020. It helps commissioners of District Administration and Municipal Corporation to get private ambulances and set the price with the help of the Regional Transport Office. They can acquire private ambulances in two methods: Pay for the ambulance, fuel and the driver and second, if the driver is not available then only the ambulance can be acquired for rent and the driver can be assigned from state transport, private companies or local administration.

The Tamil Nadu government has decided to increase the duration of lockdown till July 31 to contain the spread of COVID-19. India was under lockdown for nearly three months due to the widespread of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the lockdown had lifted from a few states and people were allowed to go out. This increased the number of Coronavirus cases exponentially. Each day the number of COVID-19 cases are increasing by thousands in Tamil Nadu. The death toll has crossed 1000 people as of today. Even the Higher Education Minister KP Anbalagan has been tested positive for Coronavirus. It has become very important that people follow strict protocols to combat the increasing number of COVID-19 cases. Thiruvallur, Greater Chennai Police limits, Chengalpet, Madurai and its suburbs, and Kancheepuram will remain in strict lockdown until July 5, 2020. According to sources, the Chief Minister, Mr Edappadi K Palaniswami had an intense discussion with a team of medical experts via video-conference and then the extension was decided upon. District collectors and the team of Finance Secretary, Mr S. Krishnan were also a part of this call. The state’s tally now reads 82,275 confirmed cases, 45,537 recovered cases, and 1,079 deaths.

The State Government of Maharashtra has announced that the lockdown will be extended to 31 July 2020. The announcement comes amid rising numbers in the State. The government said that the new guidelines are called ‘Mission Begin Again’. Non-essential goods movement will be restricted in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region neighbourhood. People are allowed to buy non-essential goods or activities, however, it will be only in the neighbourhood area. All need to adhere to the mandatory safety guidelines such as wearing face masks, following personal hygiene and following Social Distancing. People attending offices can move unrestricted. Home delivery of essential and non-essential items are allowed and home delivery of food is also allowed. Shops and markets dealing with essential and non-essential items or activities are allowed to operate between 9 am to 5 pm.

The Central Government has issued guidelines for Unlock 2.0 in an effort to lift restrictions that were in place to contain the spread of the deadly COVID-19 in the country. Metro rail services, educational institutions and large gatherings will continue to remain prohibited. Night curfew has been reduced by an hour in an effort to prop up economic activities. Unlock 2.0 will be effective from 1 July 2020. The new guidelines were announced after considering various feedback from states, central ministries and departments. Unlock 1.0 ends on 30 June 2020. Apart from these restrictions, other prohibited activities are international air travel, cinema halls, gyms, swimming pools, bars, theatres, auditoriums, large gatherings including social, cultural and political have been banned as well. The Centre also said that States and UT’s can have their own guidelines based on their assessment. Elderly people, children and pregnant women and people with underlying health conditions have been advised to stay at home.

The entire nation was under lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the initial stages, people showed seriousness towards following the protocol when stepping out of the house for availing essential services. However, now that the majority of the regions are not under lockdown, people might not take precautions against the spread of Coronavirus. In a monthly series called ”Mann Ki Baat”, PM Modi urged people to take all necessary actions for protecting themselves and the people around against the COVID-19 disease. He further emphasised on following strict rules like practising social distancing, wearing face covers, maintaining hygiene, etc. For those who are doubting the auspiciousness of the year 2020, he has assured that India has come out of grave situations brighter and stronger and it will be the same for the COVID-19 pandemic. As of June 29, there are 2,10,120 active cases in the country, 3,21,722 people are cured of the disease and 16,475 have lost their lives combating it.

Coronavirus cases in Gujarat yesterday stood at 572 to surpass the cumulative mark of 29,000. The death toll on Wednesday stood at 25, adding to the total death toll in the state of 1,736 patients. 575 patients were discharged on Wednesday, taking the total recoveries in Gujarat to 21,096, while the active cases in Gujarat stand at 6,169. Of the active cases, 70 are on ventilators and in critical condition. The city of Ahmedabad continues to account for the highest positive cases in the state with a total of 19,601 cases, while the death toll in the city stands at 1,378. In the district of Surat, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases stood at 3,712, with 172 reported cases on Wednesday, while in the district of Vadodara, the number of cases was reported to be at 1,985. Rajkot and Jamnagar each reported 13 new positive cases, while in Baruch the total cases stand at 10. The novel coronavirus was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in early March 2020 after it spread across the globe.

Tamil Nadu got some reprieve from the steep incline in COVID-19 cases. Cases dropped by 7.10% in both Chennai and at the state level. Also, reported daily positive cases declined from 2,710 to 2.510 with Greater Chennai too recording a decline in cases. However, the total death figures slightly rose to 833 after the State Health Department reported 39 deaths today. In Chennai, over 600 fever camps have been set up across 15 zones to ramp up testing. Also, Food Minister of State R. Kamaraj said over 53% of households have been distributed cash of Rs.1000 to ration cardholders. Madurai will be on full lockdown starting at midnight today to contain the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus in the city. Also, Salem witnessed a slight spike in numbers which led the authorities to shut retail shops by 4 pm today.

Bengaluru, the most affected district of Karnataka by the COVID-19 infection, witnessed a sudden spike in the last couple of days. This has prompted Chief Minister Yediyurappa to announce fresh lockdown in cluster areas where there is a high number of cases being reported. Areas with three, four or more cases will be totally sealed and testing will be ramped up and lockdown measures will be strictly enforced in these areas. Also, only critical cases will be shifted to COVID-19 hospitals. The state’s Home Minister Basavaraj M+Bommai said that police personnel will be tested for COVID-19 on priority. The measures come after the CM called for an emergency meeting with concerned officials and departments to discuss ways to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus in the city. Four cluster areas which will be under lockdown are KR Market, Kalasipalya, VV Puram and Siddapura.

India’s COVID-19 case rose to 4.25 lakh today after it reported the daily rise of 14,821 cases testing positive for the novel coronavirus. Most of the cases were reported from the state of Maharashtra and Delhi. Other states which contributed to the number of cases were Assam and Telangana in the last 24 hours. The country also reported a high death toll of 400 fatalities. Total deaths since the pandemic broke stand at 13,699. Most of the deaths were reported by Maharashtra in the last 24 hours. Goa reported its first fatality due to the novel coronavirus. The total active COVID-19 cases in India stand at over 1.74 lakh while more than 2.35 lakh patients have recovered from the deadly viral infection.

The Commissioner of State Health Department, Mr Pankaj Kumar Pandey, announced that two stadiums and one Ashram will be converted into Covid-19 Care Centres for Asymptomatic patients. These spaces are Kanteerava Indoor Stadium, Koramangala Indoor Stadium, and Sri Sri Ravishankar Ashram. The government has asked the medical faculty to follow strict protocols when it comes to COVID-19 patients. When a positive case if found, the people associated with the patient are also quarantined. This creates a lot of asymptomatic people who cannot be allowed to go out in public. They need to remain quarantined for a stipulated amount of time. Currently, there are 174387 active cases in the country and 237195 people have been cured or are discharged from the care centres. Unfortunately, 13699 have lost their lives to the disease. The number of COVID-19 cases active in the state of Karnataka is 3395 and 5618 people have been cured of Coronavirus.

In the wake of the rise in COVID-19 cases in the country, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have approved the use of antigen rapid test for testing COVID-19 in the country. The test gives the result in 30 minutes and the price is capped at Rs.450 for a test. The test is referred to as Standard Q COVID-19 Ag Kit. The test can show results in 30 minutes compared to the RTPCR test that takes more than 3 hours. The kit has been developed by a South Korean firm. The ICMR said that RTPCR tests will continue for those individuals who test negative with the new Standard Q COVID-19 Ag Kit. The kit has to be used for individuals who are showing symptoms such as Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) in hotspots or containment zones, high-risk contacts with co-morbidities in confirmed cases and asymptomatic direct.

The State Government of Tamil Nadu announced an intense lockdown in Chennai and some parts of neighbouring areas from 19 June to 30 June 2020 in an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus in the city. Some parts of neighbouring areas such as Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, and Kancheepuram districts will come under intense lockdown for a period of 12 days. Only milk supplies and medical services will be available during this period. The Chennai airport will continue to operate and there will be no disruptions of flights during the lockdown. For those looking to travel in and out of Chennai and other notified areas, the state government said that e-passes will be issued only for people travelling out of Chennai only for medical purposes, death or wedding upon producing valid documents. For those looking to enter Chennai and other notified areas through trains, air and ships will continue as per current norms and those arriving on trains or flights should have the mandatory e-pass. Passengers will be subjected to COVID-19 test and will be quarantined until their results are declared. For those testing positive, they will have to get themselves hospitalised and others will have to adhere to home quarantine for 14 days. For people coming from Maharashtra, Delhi and Gujarat and from other countries, they will have to undergo institutional quarantine for 7 days.

The Kerala State Government has relaxed lockdown norms for those travelling on business in the state. People travelling for business purposes are exempted from adhering to the mandatory 14 days of home quarantine. The government’s order states that those business travellers visiting the state for a short period of time for official work, court cases, medical, trade, business, property management, etc. need not go through the mandatory home quarantine of 14 days. All such people have to get permission prior to entering the state through the government’s website and procure e-pass. People visiting the state for business purposes can visit the state for a period of up to 7 days after procuring e-pass from the state’s official portal for availing e-passes. Students can stay for a period of 3 days before and after the exam. Failure to adhere to the norms will result in strict action from the authorities.

The Coronavirus outbreak forced Indians to remain indoors and avoid all social contact. A nation-wide lockdown was imposed and due to this, the education system was also affected. To make the matters worse Maharashtra was among the most affected regions and topped-the list of the highest number of COVID-19 cases. However, with time these restrictions are being lifted now and schools that are not situated in red zones are expected to resume classes. Since the risk of the disease has not subsided, only those students that study in 9th, 10th, and 12th standards will be allowed to resume classes. The schools will reopen from 1st July for them. For students of standard 6th and 8th, schools are expected to resume from August 2020. As far as other students are concerned, an online teaching system is to be adopted. However, students studying in standard 1 and 2 will not have to attend any classes (neither online nor offline). The government will be using All India Radio, a famous radio station, to announce the details of online classes and curriculum.

The Tamil Nadu Government imposed an intense lockdown in the capital city of Chennai and some parts of neighbouring districts to contain the spread of COVID-19. The new lockdown in Chennai and other parts will begin on 19 June and ends on 30 June 2020. Cash support of Rs. 1,000 was announced to all ration cardholders in areas affected by the lockdown. The Chief Minister who announced the lockdown also said the cash support would be extended to unorganised welfare boards and other welfare boards of the affected districts. The CM made the announcement after a meeting with health experts and the cabinet meeting. The areas which come under the intense lockdown are Tiruvallur municipality, Minjur, Gummidipoondi and Ponneri town panchayats, Greater Chennai Police Limits, and Poonamallee, Cholavaram, and Ekkadu panchayats. Other locations are Maramalai Nagar and Chengalpattu municipalities, Nandivaram-Guduvancheri town panchayats and Kattankulathur panchayat unions. Additionally, some parts of Kancheepuram district which falls under the Greater Chennai Police limits will come under intense lockdown.

As per the data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the current recovery rate in India is above 50%. A total of 1,62,378 cases have recovered from the infection of the deadly COVID-19. The ministry said that the current recovery rate is at 50.60%, indicating that more than half of the patients have recovered from the coronavirus infection. It said that this was possible because of proper clinical management and timely case identification. It also said that there are 1,49,348 active COVID-19 cases under medical treatment across the country. With authorised private and government labs testing for COVID-19, the total number of tests so far has been 56,58,614. India is only fourth behind the USA, Brazil and Russia in terms of the worst affected country in the world. However, the number of cases per million of the population is far better than in other countries.

Karnataka’s Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar said that out of 3,248 COVID-19 positive cases a whopping 3,148 were asymptomatic. A person infected with Coronavirus is said to be asymptomatic when he/she shows no symptoms of the COVID-19 disease. Even Though this is pleasant news, it is not confirmed that these asymptomatic patients are dormant i.e. it is not confirmed that the patient cannot spread the diseases anymore. Karnataka has also seen a rise in the number of cases after Lockdown 5 was lifted. Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, said that the state is expecting the number of cases to increase due to people travelling to Karnataka from various high alert regions like Maharashtra and Delhi. Considering the national average of COVID-19 cases in the country, Karnataka has performed fairly better with a 56.5% recovery rate as opposed to the national average of 51.1%.

Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE) has issued a new set of rules that the KMAT 2020 Kerala candidates need to follow while appearing for the exam. As opposed to a single entrance ticket that a candidate was supposed to carry before the Coronavirus outbreak, now a list of documents will be required for entering the examination centre. It includes ID proof (Aadhaar card, Voter ID, Driving License, PAN Card) and access card. The candidates are expected to carry only essential items like stationery, water, or snacks, sharing these items is prohibited. Also, the use of electronic items such as mobile phones, smartwatches, etc. will not be allowed. The access card will be issued before the exam and will carry information like seat number, username and password, etc. KMAT 2020 will be held on 21st June and everyone including the staff and candidates are supposed to follow social distancing norms, and wear protective clothing like masks, gloves, etc.

The Delhi Government has decided to revoke the Special Corona Fee of 70% levied on the sale of liquor in the Union Territory. However, it has hiked the Value Added Tax (VAT) on liquor by 5% from 10 June 2020. The Special Fee on the sale of alcoholic beverages was imposed in May in an effort to raise revenue to the state’s exchequer. The sale of alcoholic beverages was allowed from 4 May 2020 when the government lifted the lockdown and the state government imposed the special fee from 5 May onwards. Sale of liquor was stopped after the Centre announced a nationwide lockdown on 24 March 2020 and was later lifted only on 4 May; however, the state government decided to increase the revenue in the form of the special fee.

In an effort to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus in India, the health ministry issued Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in hotels. The health ministry issued guidelines for the hospitality sector amid the coronavirus pandemic in the country. Some of the guidelines include that the entrance should have mandatory hand hygiene and thermal scanners. All guests and staff will be allowed entry into the hotel only if they are wearing face masks or covers which should be worn at all times. Only asymptomatic guests and staff should be allowed to enter the premises. Social Distancing should be adhered to strictly, among others.

More than 2.5 lakh taxi and auto drivers will get financial aid of Rs.10,000 each, with Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy releasing the funds to eligible beneficiaries. The initiative was launched under the YSR Vahana Mitra scheme to help them during the pandemic. The CM released financial aid towards this initiative to help auto-taxi drivers tied over the crisis due to the lockdown. The CM disbursed more than Rs.262 crore towards this initiative. Beneficiaries will receive the money to their unencumbered accounts. The Chief Minister said that his government has released the funds four months in advance to help auto-taxi drivers deal with the situation. He added that if any of the beneficiaries did not receive the fund, they can register in the Spandana website or apply as per their eligibility criteria and they will get the fund by 4 July 2020. The scheme was launched in 2019 with the main objective to provide an annual allowance to taxi and auto drivers to pay their licence fee, insurance premium and other related expenses.

The Delhi Government has launched the ‘Delhi Corona’ mobile app to ensure transparency and provide instant real-time details to beds and facilities for Delhites. The app lets users to view all services offered by COVID centres, availability of ventilators and beds at hospitals. The app also has information, guidelines and helpline numbers to help the residents of Delhi to avail services during the pandemic. The Delhi Corona app contains a self-assessment tool, guidelines, helpline numbers and access services during lockdown such as e-pass, ration and shelter/relief centres located in Delhi.

The transport department has decided to re-start the vehicle registration process in all RTO across the state from 1 June. The motor vehicle offices will operate with fewer employees at lower levels. Visitors will have to ensure social distancing is maintained at the motor vehicle offices. Cash counters at the offices will be operational from 10:30 am to 3:00 pm during working days. Except for issuing new driving licenses, all services will be provided from these offices from 1 June onwards. The decision comes after the Chief Minister announced that places of worship could open with a limited number of devotees which is set at 10 people at a time. From Monday onwards 50 vehicles will be tested every day to issue fitness certificates. Other activities include change of address, permit renewal, renewal of registration and DL, and transfer of ownership will re-commence from 1 June 2020.

In his regular ‘Mann ki Baat’ on the radio, the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi said that India has to be vigilant as most of the economic activities have been opened. He added that all citizens should be cautious without any leniency. He said that looking at the world, Indians have achieved a lot and the country is fighting the battle valiantly against the deadly COVID-10 will collective efforts. He added that while India lost many and all Indians regret the same, whatever could be saved is the result of the collective efforts of the people of India. The road ahead is a long one, the PM said, but the fight against the virus is new about which little is known. On 30 May 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced relaxations of restrictions in place during the lockdown in a phased manner.

The State Government of Maharashtra has announced Rs.50 lakh insurance cover for frontline COVID-19 workers in the state. This will include government, private, contractual and outsourced workers who are working in places related to prevention of the deadly COVID-19 and treatment of patients. The Government said that there are several workers or staff busy tracing, surveying, taking preventive measures, testing and offering relief during the crisis by risking their lives. The announcement was made by the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar. He said that the government is serious about the safety of COVID-19 frontline workers or staff and their families and that’s the reason for the decision to cover them with Rs.50 lakh insurance.

The State Government of Punjab issued guidelines for people entering the state through all modes of transportation. All passengers in the state must download and install the COVA app, which will help generate e-pass for an easy exit from the railway station. Passengers travelling via train must wear masks and maintain Social Distancing and only passengers with confirmed tickets will be allowed to enter the railway station. Before the passengers enter the station platform, they will undergo health screening and have to reach the railway station 45 minutes before the train’s departure. Also, the state government said only asymptomatic passengers can alight the train. In case the passengers do not have a smartphone, then they have to carry a valid identity proof such as Aadhaar, Voter ID, DL, or other government-issued documents and they have to submit a self-declaration form.

In an important landmark, Odisha reported that the number of patients recovering from COVID-19 has outnumbered the number of positive cases. Odisha registered its first case on 15 March this year and the number of cases kept increasing, especially during the last fortnight. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that more than half those affected by COVID-19 have recovered and been discharged from hospitals. A total of 75 patients in Odisha recovered today, taking the total to 887 recoveries. The total number of positive cases reported today is 67, with a total of 776 positive cases currently in the state. The total number of COVID-19 cases, which includes both active and recovered cases, stands at 1,660. The recovery rate is at 49% while the national average stands at 41%.

The State Government of Karnataka decided to suspend flights arriving from five states which include Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Also, travel by road from the states of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Gujarat have been suspended by the state. The decision comes amid the rising numbers of COVID-19 positive cases in the state. The suspension of the passengers arriving from these five states will be reviewed in a week’s time. State Law Minister Madhuswamy said that the restrictions are mainly on air traffic from Maharashtra as nearly 40% of the passengers arriving from Maharashtra have tested positive for COVID-19 infection. While Gujarat and Tamil Nadu come second to Maharashtra. He admitted that the influx of passengers into Bengaluru is higher than expected.

Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation, in an effort to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic in the city, has set up two COVID-19 care centres. While one will come up at Borivali area, the second one will be set up at Dahisar Check Naka. The Care Center at the Borivali area is expected to host more than 200-bed ICU with dialysis facilities, while the Care Center at Dahisar Check Naka is expected to have more than 800 oxygen beds. Apart from these COVID-19 Care Centers, the BMC had earlier set up quarantine facilities at Mehboob Studios, St. Xavier’s College, the auditorium of DG Ruparel College and JJ School of Applied Arts.

In times of the coronavirus pandemic, e-payment of fines has come as a boon to the police department. The system of paying fines through e-modes for traffic violations has helped the police as they do not have to transact through cash or come in contact with violators. Nashik Police Commissioner said that directions from higher-ups from Mumbai have been instructed to collect fines through e-payment and they have been provided with devices to issue e-challans and collect fines as well. Additionally, if the fine has not been paid, the information will remain with the cops and even if motorists are caught violating traffic rules in another part of the state, the police will be able to view previous fines.

The Maharashtra Government announced that the state was able to break the Coronavirus chain after it began to fight against the deadly virus two months ago. It added that this was possible because contact tracing and reducing the doubling rate of positive cases from 14 days to 3 days. The imposition of the Lockdown and the awareness campaign among the people made it possible to reduce the doubling rate. The government also announced the “chase the virus” campaign to further its efforts in containing the spread of COVID-19 in the state. The main objective of the campaign will be on testing, tracing and isolation. Also, 15 close associates of COVID-19 positive patients will be mandatorily institutionally quarantined. Additionally, community leaders have been selected to provide details on comorbid patients, cleanliness of toilets, availability of meals in institutional quarantine and whether private clinics are open or not.

The State Government of Tamil Nadu has formulated quarantine rules and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for passengers arriving via flights to Tamil Nadu. For passengers arriving at the Chennai airport, they will have to adhere to 14-day home quarantine for asymptomatic passengers and institutionalised isolation for those who do not have a home quarantine facility. Fliers must pre-register on the state’s specific web portal for the e-pass, which is mandatory to fly to any of the airports in the state. After the registration, passengers will receive a QR code which has to be retained. Upon arriving at the airport, fliers will be medically screened as well.

The State Government of Maharashtra has set three slabs on the price for the treatment of COVID-19 in private hospitals. The per-day price cap is Rs.4,000, Rs.7,000 and Rs.9,000. The government also decided to regulate rates for 80% of the operational bed capacity in private and charitable hospitals. However, hospitals may charge their rates on the remaining 20% bed capacity. The notification also stressed that the same quality of medical treatment will be provided in the 20% and 80% categories. The pricing will remain in force until 31 August 2020.

A medical team consisting of 105 members have been sent from Kerala to treat patients suffering from COVID-19. This is the second contingent sent by Kerala to the UAE to help contain the spread of the deadly virus which is gripping countries across the world. The members are part of the initiative by VPS Healthcare in UAE. The medical team from Kerala will be working in various hospitals in the United Arab Emirates. The team decided to travel to the UAE after obtaining required permissions from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of External Affairs, and the Ministry of Home Affairs of both countries for their travel.

The State Government of Maharashtra has revised the Lockdown 4.0 guidelines. The Central Government has extended the lockdown until 31 May 2020 to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country. As per the revised guidelines, non-essential goods and services by e-commerce companies are allowed in Red Zones. Stadiums, sports complexes and other public places are allowed to be open but without spectators in Red Zones. All construction sites or industrial units are allowed to operate in Red Zones. Bus services between districts falling under red zones are allowed with a maximum capacity of 50%.

The State Government of Karnataka today announced the Lockdown 4.0 guidelines which will be in effect till 31 May 2020. The State has barred entry of persons from Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Kerala till the 31st of May 2020. This comes after the Centre said the movement of persons between States will be allowed only after they agree mutually. Also, the Government of Karnataka has allowed government buses to ply except in Red and Containment Zones. To ensure Social Distancing, only 30 passengers will be allowed to travel in the government buses. Taxis and cab aggregators would be allowed to run services from 19 May 2020 and there will be a compulsory 14-day quarantine for all international and domestic passengers. Additionally, total lockdowns will be observed on Sundays and only essential services would be allowed. Schools, colleges, malls, cinemas, swimming pools and gymnasiums are not allowed to operate. All shops outside the containment zones in the state are allowed to operate as well. The night curfew between 7 pm to 7 am continues to remain.

The health department of Chandigarh announced that all healthcare workers who are stationed for COVID-19 duty will be covered under the COVID-19 insurance scheme. The Director of the health department said that all hospital staff who fall under groups A, B, C and D will be covered under the scheme. This includes those working in the Government Multi-Speciality Hospital in Sector 16, Department of Ayush, National Health Mission, Office of the Assistant Director of Maria. Additionally, Food and Drug Administrations who are involved directly or indirectly with COVID-19 and patient care services are covered under the scheme. The scheme offers coverage of Rs.50 lakhs to more than 22 lakhs of public medical care staff across the country.