Maharashtra Covid-19: Record spike in Amravati, districts impose travel ban

Maharashtra’s Amravati, one of the districts that are contributing the highest to Maharashtra’s increasing number of daily infections, saw the highest single-day spike on Tuesday, reporting 926 infections, sources reported.

The district is under a seven-day lockdown, which started on February 22. All shops, establishments, schools, colleges are closed in the district now. Only essential services are allowed.

On Tuesday, Akola city reported 121 fresh cases, Yavatmal reported 165 cases and Buldhana reported 161 cases.

The sudden spike in daily cases in Maharashtra began in February. Amravati reported 9,069 Covid-19 cases only in February. Out of this 4,728 were detected since February 17.

With the growing number of cases, the entire Vidarbha region is being isolated in the state as other districts are closing their borders to stop Vidarbha people from travelling to other districts.

Amravati/Akola division falls under the Vidarbha region, which is reporting the maximum Covid-19 cases. Vidarbha comprises 11 districts, which includes five under the Amravati division and six under the Nagpur division.

Amravati/Akola division comprises Akola, Amravati, Buldana, Yavatmal and Washim districts. Apart from lockdown in Amravati and Yavatmal, restrictions have been imposed in other districts of the division.

Parbhani of the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, famous for the Sai Baba temple, has announced the closure of places of worship and imposed travel restrictions from the 11 districts of Vidarbha. “We have told private buses as well as those of MSRTC to not bring passengers from these parts to Parbhani. We have also ordered the closure of places of worship till February 28,” collector Deepak Muglikar told sources.