Pune: Mayor Muralidhar Mohol on Tuesday stated there was no plan to enforce a complete COVID-19 lockdown in the city amid rising cases. However, he stated they have ramped up screening and testing to curtail the further spread.

Talking to news agency ANI he said, “We have made micro containment zones, increased screening and testing. I don't think imposing a complete lockdown is necessary right now.” Amid the surge in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, Pune district on Tuesday has witnessed a sudden spurt in its daily COVID-19 count as the infections crossed 3,500-mark.

Pune district on Tuesday saw 3,574 new COVID cases in the last 24 hours, taking its total case tally to 4,10,347, according to the health authorities.

Of the 3,574 new cases, 1,925 were reported from Pune city (Pune Municipal Corporation) followed by 894 in Pimpri Chinchwad (Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation). On the other side, rural area reported 559 new cases while Councils and Cantonment saw 144 and 52 cases respectively. The death total in the district stood at 9,440 with 12 more deaths. There are 84 COVID-19 vaccination centres currently.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra is ‘in the beginning of a second wave of Covid’, the centre has said in a letter to the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, requesting the state to aim on containment strategies. The letter, based on the assessment of a central team, states the lack of COVID-appropriate behaviour and ‘tracking and testing of cases’.

Also read: COVID-19: Maharashtra in the start of second-wave, warns Centre

Also, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also scheduled to hold a virtual meeting with the Chief Ministers, on Wednesday. It comes after states continue to report an increased number of COVID-19 cases. The mega vaccination drive has also not met the targets in several regions.