Mumbai: Remaining above the 60,000 range, new COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra spiked to a record high of 68,631 on Sunday, according to the data released by state health department.
With this, the cumulative caseload in Maharashtra mounted to 38,39,338 while 503 deaths were reported on Sunday taking the death tally to 60,473. The state currently has 6,70,388 active cases. So far, 31,06,828 COVID-19 patients have been discharged after fully recovered while the recovery rate in Maharashtra stands at 80.92 per cent. In its COVID-19 bulletin, the government said state currently has 36,75,518 people in home quarantine and 26,529 are shunted in institutional quarantine. Out of 2,38,54,185 laboratory samples 38,39,338 have been tested positive (16.1 per cent) for infection until Sunday.
STRICT ACTION
On Sunday, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil cautioned of action against those violating the restrictions enforced by the state government to curtail the spread of COVID-19. "Home Minister Shri Dilip Walse Patil reiterated that in order to curb the rising number of #COVID19 infections, curfew order and restrictions should be effectively followed. Action will be taken against those who violate orders," Walse Patil tweeted.
While, restrictions on the movement of people in the state under the prohibitory orders under Section 144 were imposed from April 14 which will remain till May 1. Essential services are exempted from this. All the establishments, public places, activities and services are to remain shut. Essential categories that will be allowed are hospitals, diagnostics centres, clinics, vaccination, pet food shops, medical insurance offices, pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies and other medical and healthcare services.
To ease life for the public, groceries, vegetable shops, fruit vendors, dairies, bakeries and all types of food shops have been exempted. Likewise public transport, including airlines, trains, buses and autos will be allowed during the curfew.
Others who are exempted are telecom services, water supply services, accredited media, IT services, petrol pumps security agencies, ATMs, etc.
Leading the vaccination drive Maharashtra as on April 15 had administered 1.11 crore doses.
STOP USE OF OXYGEN FOR MEDICAL SUPPLY
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Sunday requested Chief Secretaries of states and administrators of Union Territories to issue required directions to all authorities concerned to ban supply of oxygen for industrial purpose, except nine industries recognised by the Union Health & Family Welfare Secretary.
He said, “This is keeping in view the rapid rise in Covid-19 cases in various parts of the country and the resultant rapid demand for medical oxygen, particularly in high-burden states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, etc.”
The letter follows the decision taken by the Centre, on the references of the Empowered Group-II, that the supply of oxygen for industrial purposes by manufacturers and suppliers is banned (except in nine industries) forthwith from April 22 till further orders, so as to expand supply for medical oxygen in the country and to save precious lives.
