FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: The State government on Saturday decided to extend the State-wide curfew till 7 am on June 14 in order to reduce the infection rate of the coronavirus. This, despite the COVID-19 situation showing a marked improvement in the State.
In a tweet, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant said the State government has decided to extend the ongoing ‘corona curfew’, which was due to be lifted on June 7 morning, by another week till 7 am on June 14.
There, however, are some relaxations as timings of essential shops as defined will be increased to 7 am to 3 pm as against 1 pm, Sawant said.
With the Southwest monsoon having set over Goa, the government has decided to allow the operation of shops selling items related to monsoon preparedness, rain protection and stationery items. “In addition, shops/stores related to house/building repairs, monsoon preparedness, or rain protection & stationery items will be allowed to open,” Sawant tweeted.
The pandemic-induced curfew was initially imposed in Goa on May 9 and was to be lifted on May 24 but the State government extended it till May 31 given the surge in fresh coronavirus positive cases. The curfew was again extended till June 7.
The State’s COVID situation has shown much improvement with active cases coming down to around 8200 as on Saturday.
Also, the positivity rate which was hovering at 46 to 50 per cent at the start of the curfew, has dropped and stood at 13 per cent as on Saturday.
The State government has already allowed re-opening of educational institutions for administrative, teaching and non-teaching staff from June 7 onwards. Government departments have also started functioning with full capacity from June 1 onwards.
