The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government may lift the lockdown restrictions gradually owing to declining in the COVID-19 cases in the state. After weeks of struggle, signs of the ebbing of the second COVID-19 wave in Maharashtra is apparent as the positivity rate and the number of active cases have dropped by almost half in a month.
Speaking to reporters, Rajesh Tope, state public health minister indicated that the lockdown restrictions, that has been extended till June 1, could be eased to some extent, subject to the current COVID-19 situation.
The lockdown-like curbs were first imposed in the state on April 5. The curbs were further tightened on April 15 with Section 144 of the CrPc, banning assembly of five or more people at one place.
A week later on April 22, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced a complete lockdown in the state to control the deteriorating situation.
On Thursday, the daily positivity rate in the state was 10.6%, the lowest in months. It was 9.3% in mid-February when the second wave began and rose to 29% on April 4.
With the increase in testing, it has been steadily declining since. In Mumbai, the daily positivity rate stood at 4.8% on Thursday.
In the last 24 hours, Maharashtra reported 29,911 fresh COVID-19 cases and 738 deaths, which took its infection tally to 54,97,448 and toll to 85,355.
The state witnessed a drop of 4,120 cases as compared to Wednesday when it had recorded 34,031 cases.