A day after recording the single-day highest 2,456 fresh Corona positive cases in the last eight months, Jammu and Kashmir Government ordered complete restriction on non-essential movement during weekends in the entire J&K.

The decision to impose restrictions during the weekends was taken during the meeting of the State Executive Committee (SEC) headed by Chief Secretary Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta held on late Friday evening.

It was decided that night curfew from 9 pm. to 6 am. shall continue to remain in force in all districts along with the complete restriction on non-essential movement.

The decision was taken after a detailed review of the prevailing COVID situation in the Union Territory during the meeting presided by Chief Secretary.

The ACS (Finance), ACS (Health and Medical Education), Principal Secretary (Home), Principal Secretary (PWD- R&B), ADG/IGs, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police, and other officers of Jammu and Kashmir attended the meeting.

Covid test
Swab tests to people at City Railway station, after the Karnataka government eased restrictions amid ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, in Bengaluru on Wednesday 25th August 2021Dhananjay Yadav/IANS

Additional curbs announced to check infection

It was observed in the meeting there is a need for additional measures besides continuing with the existing COVID containment measures in all Districts in view of the uneven trend observed in daily Covid cases as well as the rising positivity rate.

The SEC underlined that enforcement of COVID appropriate behaviour was critical in determining the need for additional restrictions.

"All the Government Department(s)/Office(s) shall minimize conducting in-person meetings/interactions etc. All Administrative Secretaries/ Head of the Departments)/ Institution(s) shall ensure optimal use of virtual mode for conducting official meetings etc," reads an order by SEC after the meeting.

Decisions taken in SEC's meeting to contain the virus

  • A maximum number of people permitted to attend any indoor or outdoor gathering shall be strictly restricted to 25.
  • Banquet halls are permitted to allow gathering up to 25 vaccinated persons with verifiable RT-PCR or RAT not older than 72 hours or 25% of the authorized capacity preferably in open spaces.
  • Cinema halls, theatres, multiplexes, restaurants, clubs, gymnasiums, and swimming pools are permitted to function at 25% of the authorized capacity.
  • Education institutions, all colleges, schools, polytechnics, coaching centres etc. have been asked to adopt the online medium of teaching.
  • Night Curfew shall continue to remain in force in all Districts from 9 pm to 6 am with complete restriction on non-essential movement.
  • There shall also be a complete restriction on non-essential movement during weekends in the entire J&K.
  • All Deputy Commissioners shall intensify testing and ensure full utilization of available RT-PCR and RAT capacities. There shall be no drop-in testing levels.

J&K continues to witness a surge in Corona cases

A surge in COVID cases continued across Jammu and Kashmir during the 24 hours with 2,456 fresh cases and five casualties while the Union Territory of Ladakh also recorded a spike with 124 positives.

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Among 2,456 cases, 934 were reported from the Jammu division which also accounted for three COVID fatalities, all fully vaccinated, while Kashmir Valley registered two casualties and 1,522 cases.

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