Amid rising Covid-19 cases, the Maharashtra government on Friday prohibited gathering of more than five persons in public places between 9 pm to 6 am.

The new guidelines, issued ahead of Christmas, will come into force from midnight, an official release said late Friday evening.

The state recorded 1,410 new coronavirus cases and 20 omicron infections during the day. The daily Covid-19 cases went up by more than 200 compared to Thursday.

Further, more than 100 people can not attend weddings in closed places, while in open spaces the number will not be more than 250 or 25 percent of the total capacity, whichever is less.

This restriction will also apply to social, political or religious functions, the release said.

At functions other than social, political or religious ones, the number of attendees in closed spaces should not exceed 50 per cent of the total capacity where seats are fixed and immovable.

The number of attendees shall not exceed 25 per cent of the capacity where seats are not fixed.

At sports event, number of people can not exceed 25 per cent of the venue's capacity.

Restaurants, gymnasiums, cinema halls, spas will continue to operate with 50 percent capacity, the guidelines said.