Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad under complete lockdown from 13 to 23 July; hospitals, pharmacies, dairies to remain open

A 10-day strict lockdown has been announced in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad in Maharashtra starting from 13 July. The announcement of the lockdown was made by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday, 10 July. Pune Divisional Commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar told news agency ANI that along with Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, around 22 villages of rural parts of Pune will also be under complete lockdown from 13 to 23 July. The strict lockdown has been announced to contain the rampant rise of COVID-19 cases in the district. A report by DNA mentions that the announcement of complete lockdown comes a day after Pune district reported the highest single-day spike of COVID-19 cases. Pune reported 1,803 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday. News agency PTI quoted a health official as saying that with Thursday’s spike in COVID-19 cases, the district now has a total of 34,399 infected patients. The death toll in the district reached 978 with 34 more people succumbing to the infection on Thursday, the official added. “Of the 1,803 cases, as many as 1,032 were reported from the areas located in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits, where the number of patients has reached 24,977,” the official said. What will remain open in Pune during 10 day lockdown from 13 to 23 July According to a report by NDTV, all the essential services will be allowed to operate during the time of the lockdown. Pune Divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar said that dairy outlets, medical stores and hospitals will remain open in the Pune district. What will remain closed in Pune during 10 day lockdown The DNA report mentions that all the offices and other businesses in the Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad region and places where lockdown will be implemented will remain closed till 23 July.