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Pune: Admitting that the rapidly soaring Covid-19 cases across Maharashtra were a matter of grave concern, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Monday apprehensions of yet another impending lockdown. Speaking to newspersons here he clarified that the pandemic situation in Maharashtra did not warrant a lockdown as yet.
Instead of a lockdown, Tope said that the government would be increasing the number of restrictions to include mass congregations which would in turn be strictly enforced by the authorities. The Health Minister also observed that despite the sudden spike in cases in the past fortnight, the mortality rate was declining. Tope remarked that instead, stern restrictions would be in place.
He further remarked, “We are continuously working on the three formulae of tracking, contact-tracing, and sample testing. We have severely curtailed all social and governmental activities. In some places, we have also imposed night curfews and lockdowns. However, while the Chief Minister and senior functionaries are naturally worried, a total lockdown over the State is not an option. We are not disposed towards a lockdown and there is no reason for imposing one either in Mumbai or over the State,”
The State’s active case tally has breached the 1.25 lakh mark. Maharashtra has the highest active cases in the country, contributing to nearly 60% of India’s total active cases.
Indicating the government’s non-inclination to impose a lockdown, Tope said that even Mumbai’s new suburban railway timings had been redrawn in such a manner so as to ensure that there would not be any crowding.
He further argued that despite the progression of the infection, its growth rate has nevertheless been lower than in the past.
“While infections are on the rise, fatalities have fortunately not risen correspondingly. We still have enough hospital beds to cope up with emergencies. But the rate of vaccination needs to be increased,” Tope said, informing that thus far, 30 lakh people in the State had been inoculated.
Stressing the need to maintain physical distancing, Tope said that wearing masks was mandatory and that the Mumbai civic body and other municipal corporations across Maharashtra had collected fines to the tune of lakhs of rupees till now from errant citizens flouting pandemic norms.
The Health Minister said that the vital need of the hour was to vaccinate as many senior citizens as possible. “The supply of vaccines is getting better and a quarter million of people are being vaccinated every day in the state. Private hospitals, too, have been tasked with carrying out a large number of vaccinations. So, I appeal to citizens over the age of 60 to get themselves vaccinated as soon as possible,” he said.
