By PTI
BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh government has further eased the COVID-19 restrictions by allowing cinema halls to operate with 50 per cent strength and restaurants with the full capacity in the wake of a significant dip in the cases, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday.
Until now, cinema halls remained closed and restaurants were being operated with 50 per cent capacity, officials said.
“COVID-19 situation is now under control in Madhya Pradesh. Coronavirus cases fell to 18 while active cases stand at 296. There are no COVID-19 cases in 44 districts of the state. Now on, a maximum of 100 people will be allowed to attend wedding ceremonies while 50 people can attend funerals,” Chouhan said in a statement.
He said cinema halls can now function with 50 per cent capacity while restaurants are allowed to operate normally with 100% capacity.
Similarly, markets can now be opened till 10 pm, he added.
Until now, a maximum of 20 people was allowed to participate in funerals and 50 persons in marriage ceremonies, officials said.
Similarly, the markets were allowed to open till 8 pm.
Chouhan held a review meeting with officials during which he told them to be alert on the projected third wave of the pandemic.
“The cases are not coming down in Maharashtra and Kerala. The cases are also rising in southern and North-East states. It is suspected that the cases may rise in the month of August. But we are committed to flattening the third wave,” the CM said.
On Monday, Madhya Pradesh reported 18 fresh coronavirus cases, which pushed its infection tally to 7,90,193, state health officials said.
The health department did not release COVID-19 death figures and active cases in the state for the second consecutive day on Monday.
With 72,134 new tests, the total number of samples tested for coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh so far reached 1.30 crore.
Coronavirus figures in MP are as follows: Total cases 7,90,193, new cases 18, death toll 1,0506, recovered 7,80,735 (no change), active cases (not disclosed), number of tests so far 1,30,19,105.
