Maharashtra’s Amravati district will be put under lockdown for a week amid rising cases of novel coronavirus in the state. According to Cabinet Minister Yashomati Thakur, the lockdown will come into force from Monday evening, reported NDTV. Before Amravati, administration in eastern Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district ordered a ten-day lockdown last Thursday.

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray said, “Political, religious and social gatherings to be prohibited in Maharashtra from Monday in view of rising COVID-19 cases,” reported PTI.

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According to the state government, only essential services will be allowed to work during the lockdown period. If citizens don’t follow protocols, lockdown will be extended, Thakur said. She added that the decision to stop all non-essential services was taken after COVID-19 cases continued to rise in the state.

The news comes hours after Pune issued fresh guidelines on night-time movement, large gatherings and functioning of schools, restaurants and bars amid surging viral infections.

As per a report by The Indian Express, doctors have found mutated strains of novel coronavirus from UK, Brazil and South Africa in Amravati and Yavatmal districts. Although health officials have denied the reports, PTI reported. 

Maharashtra has reported about 7,000 new COVID-19 cases and nearly 40 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total caseload stands at 20,93,913 including 48,439 active cases and 19,92,530 total recoveries. Around 51,753 people have died of the virus.