AN APPROPRIATE decision regarding imposing a lockdown in Maharashtra will be taken after April 14, State Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Sunday. He was speaking to reporters after a virtual meeting of the COVID-19 task force chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to discuss measures, including imposition of a lockdown in the State, to break the virus chain. “Duration of the lockdown and how to handle its economic fallout was discussed during Sunday’s meeting.

 

The task force is of the view that the prevailing coronavirus situation in the State is such that a lockdown is required,” the Minister said. A tweet from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said, “In a meeting with the State Task Force, the Chief Minister discussed the availability of oxygen & beds, use of Remdesivir, treatment protocols, increase in capacity of facilities, imposition of restrictions & fines for violating COVID protocols.” Medical Education Minister Amit Deshmukh, State Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte and others took part in the meeting.

 

Thackeray is scheduled to hold consultations with the finance and other State departments on Monday and discussion will also take place in the cabinet meeting later this week. Tope also said that setting up of an oxygen generation plant in the State was also discussed during the task force meeting. Thackeray had on Saturday indicated the imposition of a strict lockdown in the State given the alarming rise in COVID-19 cases. He had held an all-party meeting held virtually to discuss the COVID-19 situation in the State. Last Sunday, the State Government had announced a slew of restrictions, including a weekend lockdown, night curfew and prohibitory orders for the day time. These restrictions will continue till April 30.

 

Mah CM discusses strengthening of health infra with task force: MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday discussed setting up of oxygen generation plants, upgrading the number of beds and other medical facilities, besides availability of Remdesivir injections in a meeting held with members of the State COVID-19 task force. He once again underlined the need to break the coronavirus transmission chain by imposing a lockdown and said a standard operating procedure (SoP) will be prepared after holding consultations. Thackeray said he will once again request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide additional doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Maharashtra. He also called for expediting the vaccination process and completing vaccination of all health workers in the State, the Chief Minister’s Office said in a statement. The CM said asymptomatic people are spreading coronavirus among the rest. “Unnecessarily negligent people are putting the lives of others to risk. There is a need to break the virus chain by imposing a lockdown. A standard operating procedure (SoP) will be prepared after consultations,” he said. 

 

 

MAHARASHTRA recorded 63,294 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, its highest single-day rise since the pandemic broke out, which pushed the caseload to 34,07,245, the health department said. The death of 349 patients due to the infection took the State’s toll to 57,987, it said. A total of 34,008 patients were discharged during the day. With this, its recovery count increased to 27,82,161, a statement from the department said. A record 2,63,137 tests were conducted across the State during the day, which took the overall test count to 2,21,14,372. There are 5,65,587 active cases in the State at present. Mumbai reported 9,986 cases and 79 deaths, which took its caseload to 5,20,498 and death toll to 12,023.