Maharashtra: No physical classes, exams in universities till 15 Feb amid Covid spike
PremiumThis comes after Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday said that 100% lockdown is not required as of now
The Maharashtra government on Wednesday decided to discontinue physical classes in colleges and universities till 15 February amid rising cases of Covid-19.
“Amid rising Covid cases, Maharashtra government to discontinue physical classes in colleges, universities till 15 February. All exams in the said institutions will be conducted online," said state higher and technical education minister Uday Samant.
This comes as Maharashtra on Tuesday recorded another sharp rise in coronavirus cases at 18,466, of which Mumbai alone reported 10,860, the highest daily count since 7 April last year.
The state reported 75 new cases of Omicron, taking the tally of those infected with the new variant to 653, the health department said.
As the cases are rapidly increasing, civic authorities in Pune, Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai had earlier decided to shut schools.
However, state health minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday said that 1005 lockdown is not required in Maharashtra as of now, but stressed the need to impose restrictions wherever there is crowding.
After a meeting with the state's Covid-19 task force and officials of the health, planning and finance departments, Tope said the state reported over 16,000 cases on Tuesday, and the number could rise to 25,000 on Wednesday.
He said the silver lining is that 90% of the cases are asymptomatic. Of the 10% symptomatic patients, only one to two per cent require hospitalisation.
“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 said.
He said augmented restrictions means that non-essential activities have to be stopped.
As the 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.
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