CM hints at declaring containment zones as Covid cases rise in HP

Shimla: Vaccination drive, notwithstanding, Himachal Pradesh is witnessing a fresh wave of Covid-19 cases following lifting of the restrictions on gatherings, including fairs, festivals and political rallies, apart from opening of schools and increased tourists influx.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur admitted a sudden spike in the cases during the past few days and hinted at declaring some of the hotspots as containment zones.

The Chief Minister, however, ruled out possibilities of re-imposition of the lockdown as had been done by neighbouring states of Punjab and Uttrakhand.

"Tomorrow, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has convened a meeting of the Chief Ministers to review positions in the states. We also have noticed the spike but I don't feel that we should impose lockdown, curfew or any other measure to close down activities," he told Millennium Post.

Thakur said he has rather asked the Health officials and Deputy Commissioners to rigorously undertake contact tracing of every single case so that infection is plugged at source and not allowed to spread in the community or places witnessing gatherings, religious, political or social.

"We are going to stress more on containment zones in the hot spot areas. Some of the districts like Una, Sirmaur, Kangra, Solan and Shimla have reported a higher number of fresh cases. There have been cases in educational institutions and also one case about Tibetan monastery. We are monitoring the situation closely," said the Chief Minister.

What has worried the government is the fact that after active cases had dropped to 218 on February 23, the number suddenly rose to 820 on March 15. There have also been six deaths in the past five days.

Two medical professionals including a lady doctor at Solan and another male doctor at Deen Dayal Upadhyaya hospital, Shimla , were detected positive even after their full vaccination.

Three deaths were reported on March 14 and one on March 15. The number of single day cases also rose to 50 against zero in some days during February 2021.

There has also been criticism of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur who himself did not observe social distancing and removed his mask during the Mandi Shivratri procession in which hundreds of people gathered and a cultural night also followed the day's events.

"How can Chief Minister preach others when he himself along with a cabinet minister rode an open jeep wearing no face mask. It was all political drama at Mandi –where Municipal Corporation elections are going to be held on April 7," alleged Mukesh Agnihotri, leader of opposition, in the state assembly.