The Goa government extended restrictions imposed in the state to combat the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) until June 28 on Saturday. Pramod Sawant, the chief minister, made the announcement.

“State Level Curfew will be extended till 7AM, 28 June 2021. Shops in Shoping malls, except cinema halls, theatres, multiplexes, entertainment zones allowed to be open between 7 am to 3 PM. Fish market may also open,” Sawant said in a Twitter post.

Despite the fact that the number of daily Covid-19 cases has decreased in Goa, as it has in many other states, the number remains high. According to the state’s health department, 302 new Covid-19 cases were reported on Saturday, with nine deaths. The total number of Covid positive cases in the state is 1,64,229, with 2,984 deaths so far.

During the second wave of the pandemic, which has now passed, Goa’s positivity rate climbed to 51%. On Friday, Sawant stated that the Covid-19 situation in Goa is improving, with a positivity rate of nearly 8%.

He went on to say that Goa has a recovery rate of nearly 95% and a death rate of nearly 6%.

The chief minister thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Customized Crash Course programme for Covid-19 frontline workers, and stated that the course will begin soon at Goa’s Sai Nursing Institute, which is affiliated with the Skill Development Ministry and the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 3.0 (PMKBY).

Sawant also stated that Goa aims to train 1000 Covid warriors within the state.

On Thursday, the chief minister announced that Goa would not open to tourism until the state had given at least the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine to its population aged 18 to 44. The government has set a July 31 deadline for the same.

The state’s current lockdown-like restrictions were first implemented on May 9 and have since been extended several times.