Night Curfew imposed in UP

31 new COVID-19 cases reported across UP

A night curfew has been announced in Uttar Pradesh, from 11 pm to 5 am, starting from today, amid growing concern over the spread of the Omicron variant.

Addition to this, UP has also announced additional restrictions - only 200 people will be permitted to attend marriages and social gatherings, at which all necessary Covid-safety protocols have to be followed.

After Madhya Pradesh, UP becomes the second state to impose night-time restrictions.

Yesterday Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan announced a night curfew of 11 pm to 5 am would be enforced effective immediately. MP has not yet recorded an Omicron Covid case.

The UP-night curfew order also comes a day after the Allahabad High Court requested the Election Commission to postpone Assembly elections due in two months.

With memories of thousands of people - not wearing face masks or practicing social distancing - at campaign rallies in Bengal and other states ahead of elections there earlier this year, the High Court also requested PM Narendra Modi to ban poll-related gatherings in the state.

On Thursday, 31 new COVID-19 cases were reported across UP.

The state has reported two Omicron cases so far. Both patients have been treated and discharged.

Across the country fewer than 7,500 new COVID-19 cases were detected in the last 24 hours.

On Tuesday the centre, in a letter to all states and UTs, warned governments that the Omicron variant was three times more infectious than the Delta strain that led to the deadly second wave.

The Health Secretary warned states and UTs to guard against the Delta variant too, noting that this strain remains present in different parts of the country.

Experts believe that the Delta variant, while not as infectious as Omicron, produces more severe symptoms and greater need for hospitalisation and medical oxygen. The Omicron variant, first reported from South Africa last month, is less severe.