Covid protocols are not being followed in Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray said (File)
Highlights
- People not following safety rules, Uddhav Thackeray said
- State may face healthcare crisis, COVID infra shortage, he said
- Officials expressed concerns over the rising number of cases
Amid a massive surge in coronavirus cases in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday asked officials to prepare a plan to impose a lockdown, saying people were not following safety rules.
The decision was taken at a meeting attended by Mr Thackeray, Health Minister Rajesh Tope, Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte, doctors of the COVID-19 task force and other officials, an official statement said.
At the meeting, officials and members of the task force expressed concerns over the rising number of cases. The upward trend of cases may also lead to a rise in Covid-related deaths in the state, the officials of the task force said.
The Chief Minister said the state may also face a healthcare crisis and see a shortage of infrastructure for treating COVID-19 patients.
Officials have been instructed to stop the general public from visiting government offices and the state secretariat - Mantralaya.
Health Minister Rajesh Tope said since people are not following the rules, the administration is forced to move towards a lockdown.
At present, of the 3.75 lakh isolation beds, 1.07 lakh are occupied in the state and the rest are filling up rapidly, Principal Secretary (Health) Dr Pradeep Vyaas said.
Of the 60,349 oxygen beds, 12,701 are already occupied, he said, adding, 1,881 ventilators of the available 9,030 have patients of coronavirus.
There might be a shortfall in the health care infrastructure in the state, Dr Vyaas warned given the sharp surge in the state.
A night curfew will be enforced starting today as the state struggles with its biggest surge in coronavirus infections since the beginning of the pandemic. Shopping malls will remain shut from 8 pm to 7 am.
The state has been reporting the highest number of coronavirus cases over the last few days. On Saturday, state capital Mumbai reported 6,123 new COVID-19 cases, its single-highest surge in 24 hours since the beginning of the pandemic, along with 12 deaths. The new cases took the city's overall caseload to 3,91,751 and the death count to 11,641.
Maharashtra logged 35,726 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, taking the total number of cases to 26,73,461 in the state, as per the health bulletin.
Cases have surged across several states in since late February, following a near-full reopening of the economy and flouting of safety measures such as the wearing of face masks and social distancing, health officials said.
After touching its lowest mark in mid-February, India's active COVID-19 cases are rising and breached the 4 lakh-mark again after three-and-a-half months.