Maharashtra stares at complete lockdown across state

MUMBAI: Maharashtra appeared to be heading for a lockdown in the coming week, as the number of currently active Covid-19 cases reached a new high in the state.

The lockdown solution was discussed at a meeting between chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, health minister Rajesh Tope, health secretary Pradeep Vyas, and the COVID task force to figure out how to manage the spike in cases.

Maharashtra has reported over 1.13 lakh new infections in the last three days, with 40,414 new cases detected on Sunday.

CM Thackeray is considering a shutdown for a limited period of time.

Essential services such as grocery stores and medical offices will remain open, and deliveries will continue, but private companies can allow workers to work from home or minimise office attendance to less than 50%.

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Thackeray requested that the Department of Relief and Rehabilitation develop a standard operating procedure (SOP) for a restricted lockdown, indicating the severity of which a lockdown is being considered.

Officials have stated that a detailed plan will be published shortly.

To break the chain of transmission, senior state health officials have proposed a lockdown for at least 15 days. “We have asked the CM to enforce the shutdown as soon as possible, if possible within a day or two,” a senior health official said.

With 291 deaths, Indian today has reported 68,020 new cases taking the tally to 1,20,39,644 in the past 24 hours.

The death toll touched 1,61,843, while the active case in the country is 5,21,808.

Around 1,13,55,993 people have recovered from the disease.

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