The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar will take a decision on Tuesday regarding the Covid-19 lockdown in the state, which is ending today. According to Hindustan Times’ sister publication Livehindustan, the curbs are likely to be extended in the state.
Chief minister Nitish Kumar will chair a meeting of disaster management group to discuss the restrictions to be continued and relaxations to be given, according to Livehindustan. An order is then expected, which will be effective from June 9, it further reported.
The Bihar government had on May 31 extended Covid-19 lockdown till June 8, following a review of the situation by Kumar and state officials. This was the fourth extension of the lockdown that began on May 5.
According to norms set by the state government, all shops and business establishments were allowed to open alternately from 6am till 2pm. The district administration was asked to decide the days for the shops.
Earlier, certain shops including grocery and vegetable kiosks were allowed to open from 6 am till 10 am.
The government offices were allowed to function in Bihar with 25% staff strength, but private offices were asked to remain closed.
Less than 800 fresh cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) were reported in Bihar on Monday, in yet another indication that the second wave was on the wane in the state.
According to the health department, 762 people tested positive in the last 24 hours, the lowest figure for the state for the past couple of months. Forty-three fatalities were recorded in the same time span, which pushed Bihar’s death toll to 5,424.
Total number of confirmed cases has risen to 7,13,879 and 7,00,224 people have, so far, recovered. Recovery rate has reached 98.09 per cent and active caseload has dropped further to 8,230, the health department said.
More than five lakh people in the state have been infected since April and over 4,000 have lost their lives.