Maharashtra: 100% lockdown not required as of now, says health minister
Premium- Of the 10% symptomatic patients, only 1-2% require hospitalisation. Maharashtra has seen a sharp rise in the daily cases since the last two weeks
Amid rising infection rates due to the new strain Omicron, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday said that 100% lockdown is not required as of now, but stressed on the need to impose Covid-related curbs wherever there is crowding.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with the Maharashtra's Covid-19 Task Force and officials of the health, planning and finance departments, the state health minister said Maharashtra has reported more than 16,000 cases on Tuesday, and the number could rise to 25,000 on Wednesday.
Tope said the silver lining is that 90% of the Covid-19 cases are asymptomatic.
Of the 10% symptomatic patients, only 1-2% require hospitalisation. The state has seen a sharp rise in the daily cases since the last two weeks.
“The Task Force has used the term augmented restrictions, which means if the cases rise like this...we don't have to use the term lockdown. Hundred per cent lockdown is not certainly required as of today," the minister added.
He further said that augmented restrictions means that non-essential activities have to be stopped.
“Wherever crowding takes place, there have to be restrictions, but it is not the case that it (curbs) should be brought today," Tope said. He said recommendations of the Task Force will be discussed with Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.
Tope strongly emphasised on ramping up the vaccination against COVID-19, and focusing on those who have not taken the jabs and third dose for frontline workers.
As the Covid-19 cases rise, an aggressive focus will also be on information, education and communication activities on the precautions to be taken after testing positive for the coronavirus, he said.
Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar on Tuesday said if the daily COVID-19 cases cross the 20,000-mark, a lockdown will be imposed in the city as per the Union government's rules. She had also suggested that people wear triple-layer masks while traveling by public buses and local trains.
The mayor had also appealed to citizens to get vaccinated at the earliest and follow all COVID-19-related standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Mumbai reported 10,860 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, up 34.37 per cent from a day ago and highest daily count since April 7, 2021, while two more patients succumbed to the infection, as per the city civic body.
Maharashtra has reported 18,466 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the state health department informed on Tuesday. The cases of the new variant of COVID-19, Omicron have gone up to 653.
There are 66,308 active cases in the state.
The state has witnessed 20 COVID-related deaths, while 4,558 patients have recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours.
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