Coronavirus Second Wave: This Country Imposes Three-Week Nationwide Lockdown; Will India Follow Suit?

Coronavirus Second Wave: Here's the list of countries that are still reeling under lockdown

New Delhi: Amid the continuous surge in the number of coronavirus cases, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that a three-week lockdown will be imposed across the country to break the chain of the highly contagious virus, which has killed nearly 922,000 people across the world. With a total population of nine million, Israel has total 155,604 Covid-19 cases, including 1,119 fatalities. Also Read - Breast Cancer Awareness Month: COVID-19 Pushed Breast Health to Low Priority, Reveals Latest Survey

Meanwhile, the lockdown order makes Israel the first developed economy to take such a drastic measure to curb a “second wave” of COVID-19. Also Read - Hathras Case: FIR Filed Against Over 500 Congress Workers For Violating Section144 at Delhi-Noida Border

“The cabinet had agreed “a strict (lockdown) plan for three weeks, with an option that it will be extended. Our goal is to stop the increase, to reduce the contagion,” which has crossed the threshold of 4,000 new cases a day”, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the government decision in a televised statement. Also Read - Japan All Set to Resume Short-Term and Long-Term Business Travel with South Korea

Notably, the nationwide lockdown went into effect from 1100 GMT on Friday, hours before the start of the Jewish New Year and the High Holidays, which also include the Day of Atonement and Sukkot.

Under the lockdown guidelines, which, the government is yet to be finalised, indoor gatherings would be limited to 10 people and outdoor gatherings to 20.  As per the reports of news agency AFP, movement will be limited to 500 metres (1,650 feet) from one’s home. Besides, eateries will remain shut for on-site dining.

“I know these measures will exact a heavy price from all of us,” Netanyahu said, adding that this is not the holiday time we’re used to, we certainly won’t be able to celebrate with our extended families.

Here’s the list of countries that are still reeling under lockdown

Australia: Australia’s Melbourne has extended the lockdown by two weeks, following the rapid surge in COVID-19 cases. ‘The restrictions would be in place till Sept 28, with a few relaxations’, said Victoria State Premier Daniel Andrews.

New Zealand: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has imposed lockdown in the country to stem COVID-19 spread. If reports are to be believed, the country will lift coronavirus restrictions on Sept 21, except in its biggest city, Auckland, which is considered as the epicentre of a second wave of infections.

The Philippines: The Philippines capital, Manila, has been under lockdown since March. Earlier on Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte extended the shutdown till September 30.

On the other hand, several media reports have claimed that India is also witnessing a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director Dr Randeep Guleria asserted that the daily cases will continue to rise for some more months since the country is witnessing a second wave of Covid-19 in some of the regions.

With over 48 lakh cases and nearly 80,000 fatalities, India is the second worst-hit nation by COVID-19. In an exclusive interview to India Today, Guleria said that pandemic is likely to continue till 2021.

“We can’t say that the pandemic will not spillover to 2021 but what we can say is that the curve will be flatter instead of rising very steeply. We should be able to say the pandemic is ending early next year,” Dr Guleria said.

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