New Delhi, Mar 23 (UNI) As the total number of COVID-19 cases soared to 468 on Monday with more than 75 fresh cases and deaths totaling to nine, the government announced complete lock down in 20 States and Union Territories while partial restrictions in six states.
Joint Secretary Ministry of Health Lav Agarwal in a press conference on Monday evening informed that Chandigarh, Delhi, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan , Uttarakhand, Nagaland , West Bengal, Ladakh, Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Tripura, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh have placed under complete lock down.
Punjab and Maharashtra have already imposed curfew to contain the spread of deadly virus.
According to Union Health Ministry, till Monday, Maharashtra has reported the highest 74 cases, including three foreigners, followed by Kerala at 67, including seven foreign nationals.
Karnataka has 33 cases, Telangana 32, including 10 foreigners, Uttar Pradesh 31, including a foreign national, Delhi and Gujarat 29 cases each, Rajasthan 28, including two foreign nationals, Haryana 26, including 14 foreigners, Punjab 21, Ladakh 13 ,Tamil Nadu nine, including two foreigners, West Bengal seven, Madhya Pradesh six, Chandigarh six, Andhra Pradesh seven, Jammu and Kashmir four, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradeshthree cases each, two case each in Bihar and Odisha while Puducherry and Chhattisgarh have reported a case each.
Number of treated and recovered cases stood at 23 while one patient migrated out of the country. As many as 41 foreign nationals are being treated in India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to the people to follow the lock down seriously and directed the states to ensure that rules and regulations are properly followed.
West Bengal reported the first death of a COVID-19 patient on Monday. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee confirmed the death of 57-year-old Dum Dum resident who had a travel history to Italy.
Himachal Pradesh also saw the first death of a 69-year-old Tibetan man, who recently returned from the US, owing to coronavirus, health officials said.
In view of lock down, both the Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die after the passage of the Finance Bill, 2020, 11 days ahead of the scheduled conclusion of part two of the Budget session.
The Supreme Court also banned the entry of people on the premises, in view of the pandemic and decided to hear only the most urgent cases through video conferencing.
A division bench of Chief Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde and Justice DY Chandrachud decided that hearing would be done in urgent matters, till further orders.
Justice Bobde said that all lawyers were requested to remove their files and other papers from their chamber, as the same would be sealed by 1700 hrs on Monday.
The apex court has also banned all types of admissions.
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