Chandigarh: Amid a sharp surge in coronavirus cases, the Haryana government on Sunday announced the imposition of a week-long lockdown in the entire state beginning May 3.
Earlier, a weekend curfew was enforced in nine districts -- Gurugram, Faridabad, Panchkula, Sonipat, Rohtak, Karnal, Hisar, Sirsa and Fatehabad -- from 10 pm on Friday till 5 am on Monday.
"From May 3, there will be a 7-day long lockdown in the entire state," Haryana's Home and Health Minister Anil Vij said in a tweet.
Haryana on Saturday had registered 125 COVID fatalities, taking the death toll in the state to 4,341, while 13,588 fresh infections pushed the tally to 5,01,566.
The massive surge in COVID-19 cases in Haryana has also put pressure on the health infrastructure, even as state authorities over the past few days have been trying to meet the increased demand for medical oxygen supplies and beds.
The other restrictions which were recently put in place in the state to contain the spread of infection include the imposition of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC and daily night curfew.
Opposition party leaders have also expressed concern over the prevailing COVID situation in the state.
Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday had asked the government to step up efforts to tackle the situation.
He had said that the complete focus of the government should be on protecting the people of Haryana from the pandemic.
Senior INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala had hit out at the BJP-JJP government over its COVID-19 management, saying the situation in the state was worse than that of Delhi.
"The situation in Haryana is worse than that of Delhi. There is no bed available in the hospitals, there is a shortage of oxygen. This government does not have any right to stay in power, he had said recently.
