Reduce containment period of COVID affected areas from 28 to 14 days: Haryana urges Centre

Haryana health minister Anil Vij has requested his federal counterpart Dr. Harsh Vardhan to reduce the containment period of COVID-19 affected areas from 28 days to 14 days. He also called for an extension of the current lockdown with certain relaxations while taking note of increasing cases in the state. 

Speaking on the Haryana-Delhi border, Anil Vij told Republic TV that the border will remain close considering the rising number of cases in the national capital and its adjoining cities. People involved in essential services and certain categories (as per guidelines) are allowed to cross the border, but not for any layman, he said. 

"If the Union Home Ministry issues the guidelines to open interstate borders for everyone, then Haryana will follow the line. But till that time Delhi -Haryana border will remain close," Anil Vij said.

READ | '80% Of COVID-19 Cases From Districts Adjoining Delhi; Border Sealed': Haryana Health Min

Chaos on Delhi-Gurugram border

As the Haryana government sealed the state borders with Delhi citing the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the national capital, a massive traffic jam was witnessed on the Delhi-Gurugram border creating a chaotic situation after the commuters were stopped at the border. 

Citing a sharp increase in coronavirus cases in districts adjoining Delhi last week, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Thursday issued orders to seal borders with the national capital. Explaining the rationale behind the decision, he mentioned that 80 percent of Haryana's overall COVID-19 cases were from districts adjoining Delhi.

As per reports, districts such as Faridabad, Gurugram, Sonipat, and Jhajjar had witnessed a rapid increase in the number of novel coronavirus cases in the last week. However, individuals involved in essential services will be allowed to cross the Haryana-Delhi border.

READ | Massive Chaos On Delhi-Gurugram Border As Haryana Government Stops Commuters

Coronavirus outbreak

Haryana on Thursday reported one more COVID-19 death, taking the total number of fatalities due to it in the state to 19, as it also recorded the highest single-day jump in cases at 123, rasing the coronavirus infections to 1504.

With the highest spike of 7,466 more COVID-19 cases and 175 deaths reported in the past 24 hours, India's COVID-19 tally reached 1,65,799 on Friday, according to the Union Ministry of Health. The number of active coronavirus cases stands at 89,987 while 71,105 people have recovered and one patient has migrated. The death toll due to the infection has reached 4,706 in the country.

READ | Haryana Reports One More Death, Highest Single-day Spike In COVID-19 Cases At 123

READ | Haryana Reports One More COVID-19 Death; 60 Of 76 Fresh Cases From Worst-hit NCR Districts