No relaxations in Jamshedpur as cases still on rise

Jamshedpur will not get exemptions and relaxations extended in the other 23 districts during the Unlock-2, as the city continued to report the highest number of cases in the state.

The Unlock-2, announced by chief minister (CM) Hemant Soren and state disaster management minister Banna Gupta late Wednesday evening, allowed the opening of all kinds of shops in 23 districts but prohibited clothing, footwears shops and saloons, besides some other categories from working in Jamshedpur.

They also announced a complete weekend lockdown from 4pm on Saturday to 6am Monday across the state. Nine districts were left out of the relaxations last week under Unlock-1.

“Lockdown regulation on shops and trades under five-six categories have been discontinued in Jamshedpur as a precautionary and preventive measure. The Covid-19 curve was consistently coming down, but 348 new patients and five deaths were reported on Tuesday. It seemed to have tilted the decision. We feel this regulation will help us, and if things show downward swing, Jamshedpur too will get the relaxations next week,” Suraj Kumar, Jamshedpur DC, said on Thursday.

The DC said that the number of new patients shot up drastically on Tuesday because the pending RTPCR tests came that day. “But it is also a matter of concern that Jamshedpur has still been reporting highest number (40-45) new Covid-19 patients on a daily basis in the state,” added Kumar.

Jamshedpur had reported 827 new Covid-19 patients and 20 deaths between June 1 and 8, while 1,222 patients were cured during the period. It reported 48 new patients and one Covid-19 death on Wednesday.

“Government’s main objective is to break the Corona chain. We are keeping a close eye on the situation in Jamshedpur and hope to break the chain soon here also. We intend to step up tests and increase the number of tests and vaccination before we take stock again,” Banna Gupta said

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