Bihar goes under lockdown till May 15 amid coronavirus surge

Patna: To reduce the rapid surge in coronavirus infections in Bihar, the Nitish Kumar government has decided to impose a complete lockdown in the state till May 15.

Nitish Kumar tweeted on Tuesday, "After discussions with fellow ministers and officials on Monday, it has been decided to implement a complete lockdown in Bihar till May 15. The Disaster Management Group has been instructed to take action on Tuesday in relation to the lockdown's detailed guidelines and other activities."

There has been a steady increase in the number of Covid-19 infected patients in Bihar. The number of active Covid patients has reached 1,07,667 after 11,407 new infected cases were reported in the state on Monday. As many as 82 infected people have died in the state during the last 24 hours.

Significantly, there was a continuous demand in the state for a complete lockdown. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) and business organsations, including various opposition parties, have also demanded a complete lockdown. At present, a night curfew has been enforced from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m in Bihar.