Lockdown extended till June 30 in Himachal Pradesh's 2 districts
What's the story
Two districts in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh have decided to extend the coronavirus lockdown by a month till June 30. The districts of Hamirpur and Solan decided to extend the lockdown after a state government order allowed them to do so. The development comes as the state has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases over the past week.
Details
State government allows districts to extend lockdown till June 30
A Himachal Pradesh government order allowed districts to extend the lockdown till June 30, if required, according to NDTV. District administrations can now decide if they want to enforce the same. Thus far, only Hamirpur and Solan have extended the lockdown. While Hamirpur has reported 63 cases (57 active cases) thus far, Solan has reported 20 (11 active cases).
Outbreak
Himachal Pradesh's COVID-19 tally reaches 217
As per the latest figures, Himachal Pradesh has reported 217 COVID-19 cases. The cases have risen from 90 infections on May 18 as the state witnessed a surge after the government eased restrictions on interstate migration. The total cases now include five deaths and 62 recoveries. Four patients have also migrated out of the state, leaving the number of active cases to 146.
Lockdown
Fourth phase of nationwide lockdown to last until May 31
The nationwide lockdown came into force on March 25 and has since been extended thrice. Each extension also offered considerable relaxations on curbs. The fourth phase of the lockdown will last until May 31. Thus far, Maharashtra is the only state that has hinted at an extension of the lockdown beyond May 31. The state has reported 50,231 cases with 1,635 deaths.