As positivity rate dips to 0.4%, Punjab government lifts weekend, night curfew

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 9

With the state’s Covid positivity rate sliding to 0.4 per cent, CM Capt Amarinder Singh today ordered lifting of weekend and night curfew and allowed gatherings of 100 persons indoors and 200 outdoors from Monday.

Reviewing the situation virtually, the CM also directed the DGP to challan all political leaders violating the rules while holding rallies and protest meetings. The situation will again be reviewed on July 20.

Punjab better off than other states

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Due to the SOPs in place and the level of Covid and post-Covid care, Punjab has had much fewer cases and deaths than most other states. Capt Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister

Opening of bars, cinema halls, restaurants, spas, swimming pools, gyms, malls, sports complexes, museums and zoos has been allowed, subject to all eligible staff members and visitors having taken at least one dose each of the vaccine.

Though schools will continue to remain closed, colleges, coaching centres and all other institutions of higher learning shall be allowed to open by the DC concerned, subject to a certificate having been submitted that all teaching, non-teaching staff and students have been given at least one dose of vaccination, at least two weeks ago.

At the meeting, Heath Secretary Hussan Lal said four districts had shown positivity of 1 per cent or less, but the districts that still needed monitoring were Ludhiana, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur and Roop Nagar.

Referring to the cases of black fungus (mucormycosis), which has been reported in 623 patients as of July 8, the CM asked the health department to work out a proposal for supporting and helping in treatment of such patients. Of the 623 cases, 67 are from outside the state, the Health Secretary informed the meeting, adding that 337 cases were under treatment and 154 had been discharged, while 51 patients had died. The maximum cases reported in a day were 34 on May 27, while the average of daily cases in the first week of July stood at five.

The CM said Punjab has had much fewer cases and deaths than most other states. Against 623 cases and 51 confirmed deaths so far in Punjab, both Haryana and Delhi have seen over 1,600 cases each, and 193 and 236 deaths, respectively.

Cinemas, colleges open; schools stay shut

• Allows gathering of 100 indoors and 200 outdoors from Monday
• Bars, cinemas, restaurants, spas, gyms and malls to open with staff and visitors taking at least one dose of vaccine
• Allows colleges, coaching centres to also open with vaccine certificates, but schools continue to stay shut
• Tells DGP to challan politicians violating protocols while holding rallies, protest meetings
• Tells health officials to work out a proposal for supporting and helping in treatment of black fungus patients