While acknowledging that the rapidly rising COVID-19 cases across Maharashtra were a matter of grave concern, State Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Monday clarified that the situation did not warrant a lockdown in the State as yet.
In lieu of a lockdown, Mr. Tope said, the government would be increasing the number of restrictions to preclude mass congregations and these would be strictly enforced. The Minister also observed that despite the sudden spike in cases in the past fortnight, the mortality rate was declining.
Triple formula
“We are continuously working on the triple formula of tracking, contact-tracing, and sample testing. We have severely curtailed all social and governmental activities. In some places, we have also imposed night curfews and lockdowns. However, while the Chief Minister and senior functionaries are naturally worried, a total lockdown over the State is not an option. We are not disposed towards a lockdown and there is no reason for imposing one either in Mumbai or over the State,” Mr. Tope said.
The State’s high active case tally has breached the 1.25 lakh mark, accounting for nearly 60% of the country’s total such cases.
As evidence of the government’s reluctance to impose a lockdown, Mr. Tope said that even Mumbai’s new railway timings had been tweaked to ensure that there would not be any crowding.
He said despite the progression of the infection, its growth rate was nevertheless lower than in the past.
Mortality in check
“While infections are on the rise, fatalities have not, fortunately, risen correspondingly. We still have enough hospital beds to cope with emergencies. But the rate of vaccination needs to be increased,” the Minister said, informing that thus far, 30 lakh people in the State had been inoculated.
Stressing the need to maintain physical distancing, Mr. Tope said wearing masks was mandatory and that the Mumbai civic body and other municipal corporations across Maharashtra had collected fines to the tune of lakhs of rupees till now from errant citizens flouting pandemic norms.
The Health Minister said the vital need was to vaccinate as many senior citizens as possible.
“The supply of vaccines is getting better and a quarter of a million people are being vaccinated every day in the State. Private hospitals, too, have been tasked with carrying out a large number of vaccinations. So, I appeal to citizens over the age of 60 to get themselves vaccinated as soon as possible,” he said.