Tourist spots to be shut, night curfew extended by 1 hour in Andamans

Tourist spots and cinema halls will be shut for one month from April 22 and night curfew will be extended by one hour with immediate effect in Andaman and Nicobar Islands as the archipelago is witnessing a spike in COVID-19 cases, a notification said on Wednesday.

The restrictions were necessitated as a large number of cases are being detected among tourists coming from the mainland, some of whom have been found to be tampering with COVID test reports, for which FIRs have been registered against them, it said.

Members of the Great Andamanese tribe employed in the administration in Port Blair will be granted special leave to return to their hometowns after they test negative for COVID- 19, the notification said.

It said that the existing night curfew from 10 pm to 5 am will be revised to 9 pm to 5 am with immediate effect.

Activities attracting large gatherings like light and sound shows at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island and Cellular Jail will remain suspended and beaches in all the three districts will remain out of bounds for visitors for four weeks from April 22.

Authorities at supermarkets and shopping malls have been advised to regulate the entry of people and ensure strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols, it said.

The notification urged the police to take strict action against those not wearing masks or maintaining social distancing.

The Union territory's COVID-19 tally rose to 5,466 on Wednesday as 45 more people tested positive for the infection, a health official said.

The archipelago now has 159 active cases, while 5,243 people have recovered from the disease and 64 patients have succumbed to the infection to date, he added.