The upward trajectory of COVID-19 cases in Haryana continued with the state reporting 694 more cases on Monday. The state has been reporting an average 600 cases in the past four days, taking the total number of cases to 26,858. Six more deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll in the state to 355.
Faridabad district continues to be a major cause of concern owing to the high infection rate. The district, which reported 103 cases in the last 24 hours, has more than 50,000 people under home quarantine. The district authorities blame unchecked travel to and fro Delhi as the key reason behind the surge.
With all the efforts to check the spread of the pandemic in NCR districts of Gurgaon, Faridabad, Sonepat and Jhajjar failing, Health Minister Anil Vij, who also handles home, has been pushing for sealing the Delhi borders. However, according to highly placed sources, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar is not in favour of the plan.
The state authorities have refused to impose weekend curfews in the affected districts and in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula. The Union territory administration had proposed the idea, and with Panchkula and Mohali being part of the tri-city network, both Punjab and Haryana governments were approached with the proposal.
Punjab chief secretary Vinni Mahajan said 'no' to the proposal even though cases continued to soar in Punjab, with the state reporting an average 300 cases in the last week. With the state reporting 411 fresh on Monday, the total number of cases in Punjab has crossed the 10,000-mark. Besides, eight new deaths have been reported from the state in the last 24 hours, taking the toll to 262.
Meanwhile, three members of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh's security staff tested positive for the disease on Monday.
A congress worker in Bathinda also tested positive, forcing Finance Minister Manpreet Badal to shut his office for the next two days and get it sanitised.
After cabinet minister Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa, two more MLAs have tested positive and their contacts are being traced.
After 70 prisoners and seven jail officials tested positive, the state government ordered random testing of all the prisoners. As of now, 5,479 prisoners have been tested and reports of 4,287 prisoners have come out negative. Test results of the remaining prisoners are still awaited.
