Maharashtra minister speaks on school opening amid rise in Covid-19 cases
Premium- Maharashtra will open schools on June 15 with Covid-19 appropriate measures, Maharashtra school education minister Varsha Gaikwad said
Maharashtra school education minister Varsha Gaikwad today said that the government is taking stock of the Covid-19 situation within the state and will open schools on June 15th. Further decision on school opening will be taken in accordance with the situation, she told news agency ANI.
“We're taking stock of Covid situation, cases rising, but we'll open schools on June 15 with Covid appropriate measures. Masks not mandatory. New SOPs to be issued to schools. Further decision to be taken in accordance with situation," Gaikwad said about the Maharashtra Covid-19 situation.
Additionally, amid spike in Covid-19 cases, Maharashtra environment and tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray on Sunday alerted that masks may be made mandatory to curb the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus.
The Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray said, “we are asking everyone to wear masks when stepping outdoors. We have not made wearing masks mandatory but will make it soon. I also appeal to the public to receive the booster dose of the vaccine on time."
This development comes just as Maharashtra reported 1,494 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday, including 961 in Mumbai, and one fatality due to the infection, taking the tally of infections to 78,93,197 and the toll to 1,47,866, the state health department said.
The state had recorded 1,357 new coronavirus infections and one pandemic-related death the day before. Sunday is the fourth consecutive day when the state reported more than 1,000 cases. The state has 6,767 active cases now, the department said in a statement. A total of 25,994 samples were tested on Sunday, taking the cumulative number of tests conducted so far in Maharashtra to 8,10,61,270.
With the discharge of 614 patients after Covid-19 treatment, the state's count of recoveries mounted to 77,38,564. Mumbai saw 961 fresh cases and one Covid-19 fatality, raising the tally to 10,68,936 and the death toll to 19,569. The Mumbai division reported 1,362 new infections, taking the total number of cases to 22,46,796. The overall Covid-19 death toll in the Mumbai region is 39,840.
The Nashik division reported 13 new cases, Pune division 99, Kolhapur division 2, Aurangabad division eight, Latur division one, Akola division four, and Nagpur division reported five cases. Covid-19 figures in Maharashtra are as follows: Positive cases 78,93,197, deaths 1,47,866, recoveries 77,38,564, active cases 6,767, total tests 8,10,61,270, tests today 25,994.
(With inputs from agencies)