Jharkhand extends lockdown-like restrictions till 13 May as active COVID-19 cases near 60,000-mark

Ranchi: The Jharkhand government on Wednesday extended the lockdown-like restrictions till 13 May amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, officials said. The restrictions, first imposed on 22 April as “Health Safety Week”, were scheduled to end on Thursday. “In exercise of the powers conferred under the Disaster Management Act, the provisions of order number 82 dated 28.4.2021 shall extend till 6 am on 13.05.2021,” Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh said in an order. State government offices shall be permitted to function till normal hours instead of 2 pm, as per the order. The restrictions were first imposed till 28 April and then extended till 6 May. The decision to extend the restrictions was taken at a meeting of the State Disaster Management Authority, chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren. During the period, the shops are open till 2 pm and people are allowed to travel till 3 pm. All indoor and outdoor congregations of more than five persons are prohibited, except weddings that have a cap of 50 persons and last rites with a maximum of 30 persons in attendance. All education centres and coaching institutions are closed and all examinations postponed. Cinema halls, multiplexes, stadiums, gymnasiums, swimming pools and parks, among others, are also closed. Agriculture, industries and mining operations are functioning. Religious places are open but devotees in fixed numbers are allowed. Essential and emergency services are exempted. Jharkhand reported 132 new COVID-19 deaths and 5,974 more cases on Wednesday. The state at present has 59,707 active cases.