New Delhi: Rajasthan on Friday became the latest state to extend

the ongoing three-week lockdown till April 30 in an effort to arrest the

spread of the novel coronavirus. The decision came even as the state
reported 98 fresh cases, taking its tally to 561.
The death toll due to the disease also increased to eight, with the
death of a 65-year-old woman at a hospital in Jaipur, said officials.
Earlier on Friday, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said the state
will extend the lockdown till May 1. His announcement came a day
after Odisha said the lockdown in the state will be extended until the
end of this month.
While Prime Minister Narendra had last month announced a
nationwide lockdown from March 25 to April 14 to control the spread
of coronavirus, other states are also considering extensions as the
nationwide death toll increased to 206 and the number of cases
crossed the 6,500-mark.
Rajasthan Chief Minister earlier on Friday said the decision on
extending the lockdown in the state beyond April 14 will be taken
while keeping public health in mind. Making the comments while
discussing the situation through video-conferencing with
representatives of industrial organisations and various business
associations, Gehlot said protecting the lives of people was
paramount for the state government.
State Urban Development and Housing (UDH) Minister Shanti Dhariwal
said Rajasthan was the first state to announce a lockdown after it
anticipated the possibility of spread of the contagious virus – a move
which helped the state government in containing the disease's
community spread to a great extent.
Rajasthan has also banned spitting in public places from Friday
onwards in view of the health and safety of the citizens, said
Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rohit Kumar Singh. The initiative
was taken under Section (2) of the Rajasthan Epidemic Diseases Act,
1957 in the larger public interest under which spitting after chewing
tobacco or non-tobacco products has been banned with immediate
effect.
Penal action will be taken against those flouting the order under
Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code.
Singh said it is seen that after eating ‘paan' or chewing tobacco and
non-tobacco products, people tend to spit in public places, which
increases the chances of spreading the dreaded virus. To prevent this
from happening, it has become imperative to ban such unhygienic
habits, he added.
State tally continues to increase
The 98 new cases reported in Rajasthan on Friday included eight
people evacuated from Iran.
"With 98 fresh cases reported on Friday, the total number of COVID-19
patients has reached 561, whereas with the death of a 65-year old
woman who died at SMS hospital in Jaipur on Thursday evening, the
number of deaths has increased to eight," said an official.
The maximum number of cases -- 53 -- were reported on Friday in
Jaipur, a hotspot, taking the tally of patients in the state capital to 221.
Banswara reported 12 cases, Jodhpur nine, Jaisalmer eight, Jhalawar
three, Kota two and Alwar, Bharatpur and Dausa one each.