The Maharashtra government late on Friday clamped prohibitory orders banning assembly of 5 or more persons from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. with effect from Saturday.
The measure comes in the wake of increasing Covid-19 cases and galloping Omicron infections - the latter soaring to 108 since the first case recorded on December 4.
Besides, the government has reintroduced restrictions on different types of gatherings at open or closed venues, and in all public places.
Maha imposes COVID restrictions
Restaurants, gyms, spas, cinemas, theatres shall be allowed to operate at only 50 percent of their capacity.
For social, religious or political events not more than 100 people shall be permitted in closed spaces and up to 250 persons, or 25 percent, whichever is less, of the capacity in such open spaces.
For other crowd-puller events like sports or games, 25 per cent seating capacity of audiences shall be allowed.
Local Disaster Management authorities and District Collectors shall be empowered to make these restrictions even more stringent depending on the local situation, said an official notification.
Omicron fears grip Maha
A day after notching the highest number of Omicron cases, Maharashtra on Friday reported 20 cases of the new Covid-19 variant and the state's tally zoomed above the 100 mark to touch 108, creating huge concerns in health circles.
Of the 20 new cases, 12 are fully vaccinated, seven are not inoculated while one is a minor not eligible for the jab.
The new infectees comprise 15 with a recent history of international travel, one domestic trip, and 4 are their close contacts. One is aged below 18, and 6 are senior citizens above 60 years of age.
The new lot of Omicron patients include 11 from Mumbai, seven from Pune, two from Satara, and one from Ahmednagar and all are said to be asymptomatic.
Intensive surveillance of passengers arriving at the three international airports - Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur - is currently underway since December 1.
A total of 23,933 travellers have landed here from the "high risk" countries of which 127 have tested positive and 49 from other countries, with all their reports sent for genomic sequencing to confirm if they are afflicted by Omicron.
Besides, 722 samples from field surveys conducted since November 1 have been sent for genomic sequencing with the results of 157 awaited, said Health Department officials.
The current spread of Omicron is extensive in the state, with a maximum - 46 cases - in Mumbai, followed by 41 in Pune, five each in Satara, Osmanabad, and Thane, two in Nagpur, and one each in Palghar, Latur, Ahmednagar, and Buldhana.
(With inputs from IANS)
