Lockdown in Madhya Pradesh till May 15

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Chauhan on Thursday announced the imposition of statewide curfew till May 15 to control the virulent second wave of COVID-19.

Mr Chauhan, while addressing a digital press conference, said stringent measures have to be taken as the positivity rate of the infection is nearing 18 per cent.

Expressing concern over the virus spreading in the rural areas of the state this time, he asked the officials to formulate a team and trace the COVID-19 infected people in every village and create micro-containment zones where the patient density is high.

The chief minister asked the officials to trace the patients in towns as well.

He urged the people to postpone their weddings till the second wave recedes as the gatherings are turning out to be “super spreaders”.

Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday recorded 12,319 COVID-19 cases and 71 fatalities.

Mr Chauhan said he expects the COVID-19 graph will flatten as the number of fresh cases are less in May in comparison to April.

The chief minister said his government is mulling over a scheme to make the treatment free of cost for COVID-19 patients. The central government’s Ayushmaan Bharat scheme is also under discussion to include a provision of free treatment for COVID-19 patients, he stated.

He called the doctors “vultures” who are looting the patients in this hour of crisis and warned of stringent action.

To overcome the medical oxygen crisis, Mr Chauhan said his government doing everything needed and added that a total of 90 oxygen generating plants will be set up to tackle any other wave of COVID-19.

Yesterday, the Principal Scientific Advisor of Union Government K Vijay Raghavan has warned of a third wave as well and advised the authorities to start the preparations to tackle the upcoming situation. (UNI)