Lockdown to be in place, but with changes: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Sunday that a three-pronged strategy was chalked out to tide over of the crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a video-conferencing with journalists, Chouhan said lockdown would be in place but with certain changes. Chouhan said the COVID-19 pandemic spread in 22 districts of the state and Indore became the epicentre of the disease.

The number of patients afflicted with the virus has increased in Bhopal because of Jamaatis and the officials of the health department.

Twenty districts where there are a few patients belong to the secondary category and hotspots in these districts have been identified, he said. Nevertheless, there are 30 districts which have not been afflicted with the pandemic, he said.

Chouhan said hotpots were identified in district, and accordingly, those areas were declared containment zones. COVID-19 suspects are also being tested, that the patients may be identified, Chouhan said.

The number of laboratories for testing has been increased as well as 1700 swab samples have been sent to Delhi for testing, he said. The number of deaths in Indore has been higher, because the suspects came to light very late, he said, adding that, if the disease is detected it can be cured with some common medicines.

Nevertheless, migrant labourers have not been tested positive, he said, adding that, nobody knows what will happen in future, because the country like UAS has failed to withstand the disease.

Few places were identified outside some corona-hit cities and farmers can bring fruits and vegetables to those places for sale to retailers and there may not be any problem, he said.

Several work will start from April 15, that economic activities may continue, Chouhan said.