Coronavirus screening at Mankhud Transit Camp (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
Maharashtra Mumbai Coronavirus News Live Updates: The Shiv Sena on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed confidence that the battle against COVID-19 would be won in 21 days, but it has been over 100 days and the crisis still persists. The fight against COVID-19 is more difficult than the mythological war of Mahabharata, an editorial in Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ said, adding that the battle against the pandemic will continue till 2021 as the disease vaccine won’t be available before that. The war of Mahabharata lasted for 18 days. Prime Minister Modi had exuded confidence (in March) that we will win this battle against COVID-19 in 21 days. But it has been over 100 days and the coronavirus still persists and those fighting it have become tired, the Shiv Sena said.
After recording more than 6,000 new Covid-19 cases for the last four days, with the highest detected on July 4 at 7,074, Maharashtra recorded a slight dip in the number of fresh infections on Monday. With 5,368 cases reported, the total infection count in the state now stands at 2,11,987. Health officials attributed the fall to an overall dip in testing numbers usually observed during weekends. With 204 deaths registered on Monday, 9,026 people have died due to the virus in the state. While Maharashtra has reported the highest number of Covid-19 cases, followed by Tamil Nadu and Delhi, it comes second in the list of highest mortality rate (4.27 per cent) after Gujarat (5.39 per cent).
Hotels in the state have been allowed to reopen from July 8 with a 33 per cent cap on number of guests. Restaurants inside hotels too will be allowed to reopen but allowed to serve only hotel guests. The government is yet to take a decision on allowing the opening of standalone restaurants across the state.
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The dry fish market in Nehru chowk, Shukrawar Peth in Pune, reopened for business on Sunday.
The Shiv Sena on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed confidence that the battle against COVID-19 would be won in 21 days, but it has been over 100 days and the crisis still persists. The fight against COVID-19 is more difficult than the mythological war of Mahabharata, an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said, adding that the battle against the pandemic will continue till 2021 as the disease vaccine won't be available before that.
The war of Mahabharata lasted for 18 days. Prime Minister Modi had exuded confidence (in March) that we will win this battle against COVID-19 in 21 days. But it has been over 100 days and the coronavirus still persists and those fighting it have become tired, the Shiv Sena said. We left Russia behind in terms of the number of cases. We will attain the number one slot in this unfortunate area if the number of cases continue to go up," it said.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday inaugurated the ‘Mahajobs’ portal, an industrial employment bureau that will offer job opportunities to the youths of the state. To register on the portal, the Shiv Sena-led government has made it mandatory for the youths to produce domicile certificates in order to seek jobs in various industries.
Industries Minister Subhash Desai said that the condition of the domicile certificate has been introduced to ensure that the “sons of the soil” get jobs in the industries. “Having a domicile certificate is one of the conditions put forth to register on the portal. It will ensure the compliance of the existing norm that 80 per cent of the jobs should go to local youths in industries,” he added at the online inauguration of the portal.
India's COVID-19 tally raced past the seven lakh-mark with 22,252 fresh infections on Tuesday, five days after crossing the six lakh post, while the death toll climbed to 20,160 as 467 more people succumbed to the disease, according to the Union health ministry. With this, the country has recorded over 20,000 cases of the infection for the fifth consecutive day.
India has overtaken Russia to become the third-worst hit nation in the world, only after the US and Brazil. Follow latest news from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and across India
A day after disagreements over the transfer of senior police officials in Mumbai exposed the rift within the Uddhav Thackeray-led Mahavikas Aghadi, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar met at the former’s Bandra residence to defuse the tension between the allies.
In the meeting that lasted for an hour, sources said the two parties tried to iron out their differences over the issue. Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, who had on Sunday denied any rift between the two sides, was also present, along with another senior NCP minister Jitendra Awhad. Later, Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde also joined in. Speculation of a tussle between the two parties over the issue had intensified on Sunday after transfer orders of 10 deputy commissioners of police, effected by the Mumbai police commissionerate on July 2, were suddenly revoked.
Mumbai, meanwhile, registered 1,200 new cases, taking its patient count to 85,724. The city’s toll increased to 4,938 with 39 people succumbing to the virus on Monday. Of the 204 deaths recorded in Maharashtra, while Mumbai accounted for 39, Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) accounted for 96 deaths. Among others, Nashik and Pune recorded 13 each and Jalgaon 12. Jalgaon district has a mortality rate of 6.9 per cent, higher than Mumbai and Pune, which account for maximum cases and deaths in the state.
After recording more than 6,000 new Covid-19 cases for the last four days, with the highest detected on July 4 at 7,074, Maharashtra recorded a slight dip in the number of fresh infections on Monday. With 5,368 cases reported, the total infection count in the state now stands at 2,11,987. Health officials attributed the fall to an overall dip in testing numbers usually observed during weekends. Read More
Over 60 per cent of Covid-19 cases in Mumbai’s northern suburbs, including Dahisar, Borivali and Kandivali, have been reported from highrises, according to the data released by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Read More
A lockdown with a slew of restrictions will be imposed in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra from July 10 to curb the rising cases of coronavirus, officials said on Monday. This phase of the lockdown will be in force for nine days and cover certain industries, and only essential services will be allowed to operate during this period, they said.
The decision was taken keeping in view demand by citizens and following a meeting with various stakeholders held in the backdrop of growing COVID-19 cases in the central Maharashtra district, collector Uday Choudhari told reporters here. He said, "A lockdown will be enforced in Aurangabad between July 10 and 18. It will be a strict lockdown."
Choudhari said, "A demand was raised by common public for lockdown but the decision was taken unanimously after a meeting with various stakeholders like industries, traders and others along with administration officials.
Further easing the coronavirus-induced lockdown, the Maharashtra government on Monday allowed hotels and other entities providing accommodation services outside containment zones to resume operations at 33 per cent of their capacity from July 8. A government notification, which also covers lodges and guest houses, to this regard was issued here. The permission has been granted on conditions of these entities adheringto social distancing norms and other protocols to avoid spread of the infection. The governments move comes a day after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray interacted with various associations of hotels and lodges, and assured them of taking a decision soon on reopening after finalising Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
The on-going lockdown in the state will be in force till July 31. Hotels and other entities providing accommodation services, including lodges, guest houses, etc, outside containment zones, allowed to operate with restricted entry. "These establishments will operate at 33 per cent capacity and on conditions specified, the notification said. The hotels in shopping malls, however, will not be allowed to reopen. The government said that these entities, if they are being used as quarantine facilities, will continue to function as such unless the local district/municipal administrations decide otherwise. Similarly, some part/whole of the balance unused capacity (67 per cent) can also be used for quarantine facility by district/municipal administration, the government said. While allowing the hotels to reopen partially, the government has asked hoteliers to ensure only asymptomatic guests are allowed.
The guests should be allowed only if they are using face cover/mask, which has to be worn all the time inside the hotels, the government instructed. The government said the guests are to compulsorily use the Aarogya Setu app and are encouraged to minimise use of housekeeping services. (PTI)
As many as 12 persons who were being taken to a COVID facility in Pune, sustained minor injuries after the ambulance ferrying them met with an accident on the bypass road of Pune Bangalore highway in Bavdhan suburb of Pune on Monday afternoon.
According to police, the incident took place around 2.30 pm when a group of people from Kothrud in Pune city were taken to a COVID facility in Balewadi area. Senior inspector Yashwant Gawari of Hinjewadi police station said, “There were 12 persons in the ambulance. When the ambulance came to Bavdhan, the driver lost control of the vehicle and it turned on its side. The 12 persons have sustained minor injuries.” Read more here
Health Minister Rajesh Tope today said: "Mask and sanitiser are essential items. Nobody should sell these items at inflated rates. In the coming days, the need for these items will increase. We have asked the Chief Minister and Food and Drug Administration to look into it. In the next eight days, we will introduce a price cap for the two items."
The district collectorate on Sunday said hoteliers whose properties have been temporarily acquired to house healthcare staff or quarantine Covid-19 patients will be paid rent as per government rates. The Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations, however, said no rent will be paid for college buildings, marriage halls and other private buildings acquired by them. Private owners whose properties have been acquired had approached civic officials and the collectorate, seeking rent and maintenance expenses. “We have paid rent to some hoteliers for allocating rooms. Some rooms were for housing doctors and nurses and some for quarantine purpose,” said District Collector Naval Kishore Ram.
Despite a large number of migrants returning from metro cities since March, the number of Covid-19 cases in several districts of Marathwada has remained comparatively lower than other parts of the state. This also meant that residents of towns and villages in the hinterland had an easier life owing to a few restrictions on their movement and functioning of markets. However, since last one week, there has been a surge in Covid-19 cases in almost all districts in the region. Various district administrations have imposed blanket curfews, at a time when cities and towns with much larger case counts are opening up. As reported by The Indian Express earlier, over a million migrants have returned to Marathwada between March and June. Barring Aurangabad, which is among the worst affected districts with 6,568 cases (294 deaths), no other district in Marathwada has gone past the three-digit mark. So far, Parbhani has recorded 142 cases (four deaths), Beed 142 (three deaths), Nanded 394 (14 deaths), Latur 425 (22 deaths), Osmanabad 264 (12 deaths), Jalna 719 (24) and Hingoli 288 cases (1 death).
Maharashtra citizens returning to Karnataka will no longer be kept in institutional quarantine. They will be kept in home quarantine for 14 days, similar to those returning from other states.
Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is addressing the media on the coronavirus situation.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray today expressed concern over several industries sacking workers at a time when the government is allowing resumption of business activities in the state, and said it was not right, PTI reported. Thackeray made the remarks as he launched the state government's MahaJobs portal that aims to make available job opportunities to the 'sons of the soil' or domiciled persons. The chief minister observed that migrant workers, who went to their native states due to the lockdown, have started coming back to Maharashtra slowly after his government allowed resumption of business activities. "Today, we have jobs available, but there are no workers. Though this is the factual position, I noticed a strange scenario yesterday. Several industries have started slashing salaries of workers or are sacking them," he said. "The sons of the soil or the migrant workers, who had not returned to their states and were reporting at workplaces, are being sacked. This is not right," Thackeray said.
At a Covid Care Centre set up by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), patients have complained about lack of basic amenities and demanded that they either be shifted to “appropriate centres” or sent home for isolation. About a fortnight ago, PCMC set up the Covid Care Centre at Tathawade after taking temporary possession of a college in the area. Patients who have tested positive but are asymptomatic are quarantined at the centre. As of Sunday, there were around 170 patients at the centre. All of them are housed on the third and fourth floors. But the patients have complained to the authorities about lack of blankets, milk for children, tea and inadequate number of washrooms and bathrooms.
From Monday, coronavirus task force will be formed in all districts. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has directed all districts to form the force to tackle the growing numbers and reduce the mortality rate.
The number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra's Thane district has gone up to 42,420 after 1,878 more people tested positive for the disease, officials said on Monday. Thane city accounts for over 25 per cent of the total cases in the district, as per an analysis of the data. On Sunday, 1,878 people tested positive for coronavirus, taking the count of cases to 42,420, the district administration said in a medical bulletin. Out of the fresh cases, Kalyan-Dombivali reported the maximum 482 cases, followed by Thane city-373, Mira Bhayandar-303, Ulhasnagar-251 and Navi Mumbai-191. The remaining cases were reported from other civic limits in the district. Besides, 47 patients succumbed to the disease in the district on Sunday, raising the toll to 1,268. Out of the 47 deaths, 16 were reported from Thane city, as per the medical bulletin.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said that a decision on reopening hotels and restaurants will be taken soon after finalising a standard operating procedure (SOP) to be followed by the industry. Interacting with representatives of associations of hotel managements through video conference, Uddhav said: “There are no hurdles in reopening hotels but they will have to adhere to the SOP formulated by the state government. The SOP is being prepared and will be finalised soon. Then, the decision on reopening hotels and restaurants can be taken.” Reopening of hotels and restaurants needs to be done carefully with focus on health and safety measures, he added. The CM further appealed to the managements of the hotels not to sack any employees.