Claim
The COVID-19 situation in Uttar Pradesh has deteriorated significantly as the state has reported more than 20,510 new cases in the past 24 hours. To limit the spread of the virus, the government has introduced a night watch in several districts such as Noida, Greater Noida, Lucknow, Kanpur and Varanasi.
With the imposition of new restrictions in UP, messages are being spread on social media and WhatsApp groups that a closure of the weekend has been instituted in the state. Users also shared screenshots of news sites claiming that the government had instituted a weekend lockdown to curb the COVID-19 boom in the state.
UP rumors close the rumors
In light of the spread of rumors, Info Uttar Pradesh showed Fact Check – the official fact check of Uttar Pradesh’s Department of Public Relations on Monday, April 12, on Twitter to explain that the news is false and that there is no weekend- exclusion has not been introduced in the state.
The tweet shared in Hindi translates roughly: ‘News regarding the exclusion of the weekend in Uttar Pradesh is being spread on social media and WhatsApp groups. The news is unfounded and there is no plan for any form of lockdown in the state. ”
The fact-checking committee also appealed to people not to share such misleading news. Meanwhile, Yogi Adityanath, chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, also ruled out as an option to counter the growing affairs in the state. CM Adityanath said during a high-level review meeting on Monday about the COVID-19 situation that his government will not let the people die in misery by imposing another closure.
Other measures taken by the government to improve the situation include a night clock from 20:00 to 07:00 in ten UP districts that were hit the hardest. The state government also suspended classes I to XII until May 15 and postponed all examinations that would take place during this period. The 10th and 12th exams of the Secondary Education Council will be held after 20 May and a new schedule will be considered in the first week of May.
Uttar Pradesh reported 67 coronavirus deaths on Wednesday when it saw 20,510 new cases, according to its senior official, the highest one-day numbers. So far, 9,376 people have died from the infection in the state, said the official general secretary (health), Amit Mohan Prasad.