Panaji, Jul 15 (IANS): In wake of a spike in coronavirus cases in Goa, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday alnnounced a night curfew in the state from Wednesday night (July 15) to August 10 apart from total shutdown of non-essential public movement on the coming weekend starting Thursday night. The violators would be sent to jail, he warned.

Sawant said that despite repeated implorations, people in Goa appeared to continue to flout social distancing norms.

"The Janata Curfew will last from 8 pm to 6 am daily, with exceptions for essential services or those working night shifts in industries or medical emergencies. The curfew will be in place till August 10... violators will be imprisoned," Sawant told a press conference on Wednesday.

"People should have been more careful. The government has realised that people have not followed the norms. As many as 40,000 persons have been fined for not wearing masks. Looks like people only understand the language of the law," Sawant said.

"The complete lockdown over the weekend will begin from Thursday night till Monday morning. Barring essential services, nothing would be allowed to open," Sawant said, urging people not to panic and indulge in panic buying.

"Perhaps, we can flatten the curve now, with this effort," he said, adding that the Cabinet had okayed the weekend curfew in a bid to flatten the coronavirus curve.

The state's active cases have crossed 1,000-mark, with 18 deaths linked to Covid-19. Most of the cases and deaths were recorded over the last month.

Sawant said that since the region was in the midst of a heavy monsoon cases were expected to spike which often triggers respiratory diseases.

"Covid cases increase the most in the rains. We are in the midst of the monsoons. Perhaps, we have reached the highest spike right now. That is why we are looking to flatten the curve, with these precautionary measures," the GOa CM said.