Mumbai: After multiple cases of new Delta Plus Variant were detected in various districts of the state, the Maharashtra government on Thursday held a cabinet meeting in this regard and is likely to impose uniform restrictions across the state to deal with the new variant. The new Delta Plus Variant has been tagged by the Union government as a ‘Variant of Concern’.
On Thursday, the Maharashtra state cabinet was briefed on the new variant by the state health ministry with experts raising serious concerns over its presence in the state. The state has reported multiple cases of the variant in seven districts as Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that the government is isolating such cases and taking all details like travel history, contact tracing and if they have been vaccinated. However, no death case has been reported due to the Delta Plus variant in Maharashtra.
Speaking to Times Now, Rajesh Tope said that the state has decided to send the samples for the genome sequence study. “No deaths have been caused due to the Delta Plus variant. Symptoms and treatment are the same for this variant. No children have been infected with this variant,” he added.
The health minister has directed officials that the Delta Plus variant cases should be monitored closely, and information about these cases should be collected and recorded for study.
On the other hand, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray directed the state health authorities to focus on seven districts in the state, where the COVID-19 infection count is relatively higher.
Thackeray also made it clear that there should be no hurry in relaxing the coronavirus-induced restrictions and the local administration should not take any chances considering the threat of the virus spread.
Speaking to collectors of Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur and Hingoli districts, where the number of cases being reported is high, Thackeray said the state health department should plan about making available oxygen beds, ICU beds, setting up field hospitals in all districts in view of the possibility of a third wave.
Maharashtra on Thursday reported 9,844 new COVID-19 cases, while 197 patients succumbed to the infection. The state’s total caseload now stands at 60,07,431, said the health department in a statement.
According to the statement, Mumbai city reported 773 new cases and 10 deaths, taking its infection tally to 7,22,736 and the toll to 15,348. The Nashik division reported 748 cases and 12 deaths, the health department said.
The Pune division recorded 2,465 infections and 40 fatalities, of which 26 came from Satara district alone, the statement said.
The Kolhapur division reported 3,516 new cases and 74 deaths, of which rural parts of Kolhapur accounted for 22 fatalities followed by 16 from Ratnagiri. Kolhapur city added 14 fresh deaths.
The Aurangabad division registered 232 new infections and 11 deaths, while the Latur division added 302 cases and six fatalities, the statement said.