Goa going into lockdown to break Covid wave

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<strong>Goa will go into a lockdown from Thursday night to Monday morning to battle the surge in Covid-19 infections in the state, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday.</strong></p>
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Sawant has urged tourists not to travel within the state during the lockdown, saying tourism activities in the state, including casinos, will be shut down.</p>
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"Tourists should stay put where they are. They cannot travel during the lockdown. Tourism activity will stop for four days. Casinos will also be shut," Sawant said.</p>
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He urged the people not to go in for panic buying of goods. Essential services and industries will remain open and the lockdown will be lifted on Monday.</p>
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The lockdown will be imposed from 10 p.m. on Thursday to 7 a.m. on Monday.</p>
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The state currently has 16,591 active cases, while 1,086 persons have died from Covid-19, since the outbreak of the pandemic.</p>
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The Chief Minister has also urged migrant workers not to leave the state, assuring them that the lockdown would be lifted on Monday.</p>
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"The lockdown has been imposed in order to break the Covid-19 chain," the Chief Minister said, adding that the district administration would be issuing a formal notification in this regard later on Wednesday.</p>
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"Essential services, like grocery stores, pharmacies, hotel and restaurant kitchens, industries will continue to remain open. Public transport will be stopped," the Chief Minister said.</p>
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Goa has seen a surge in Covid-19 fatality rates over the last few days with an average of more than 30 persons dying every day from Covid-19 related complications.</p>