Goa goes under lockdown from April 29 to May 3

Paramilitary soldiers patrol along a street during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus in Goa. Pic/AFP

Amid a rising Covid surge, Goa will undergo a lockdown from Thursday night to Monday morning, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said here on Wednesday. Essential services and industries will be open, Sawant also said.

The step has been taken in the wake of a surge in Covid-19 cases in the state, Sawant said, while urging people not to panic-buy. "The lockdown will be lifted on Monday," the Chief Minister said.

The lockdown will be imposed from 10 p.m. on Thursday to 7 a.m. on Monday. Sawant has also urged tourists not to travel within the state during the lockdown, saying tourism activities in the state, including casinos, will be shut down.

"Tourists should stay put where they are. They cannot travel during the lockdown. Tourism activity will stop for four days. Casinos will also be shut," Sawant said. The Chief Minister has also urged migrant workers not to leave the state, assuring them that the lockdown would be lifted on Monday.

"The lockdown has been imposed in order to break the Covid-19 chain," the Chief Minister said, adding that the district administration would be issuing a formal notification in this regard later on Wednesday.

"Essential services, like grocery stores, pharmacies, hotel and restaurant kitchens, industries will continue to remain open. Public transport will be stopped," the Chief Minister said.

Goa has seen a surge in Covid-19 mortality rates over the last few days with an average of more than 30 persons dying every day from Covid-19 related complications.

The state currently has 16,591 active cases, while 1,086 persons have died from Covid-19, since the outbreak of the pandemic.

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