Maharashtra govt insists on Covid-appropriate behaviour as festive season nears, cases rise in some districts

Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said that the Union government’s directives to the states asking them to ensure crowd control during the festive season pointed to the need to prioritise people’s lives as the pandemic continued.

Maharashtra government on Saturday sought the public’s cooperation in the state’s efforts against the Covid-19 pandemic particularly in following Covid-appropriate behaviour during the upcoming festive season. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said that the Union government’s directives to the states asking them to ensure crowd control during the festive season pointed to the need to prioritise people’s lives as the pandemic continued.

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray asked all political and social groups in the state to cooperate with the government. (PTI)

Thackeray also asked all political and social groups in the state to cooperate with the government saying that the pandemic continued to hang over everyone’s heads like the ”sword of Damocles,” news agency PTI reported.

While Maharashtra and the rest of the country have slowed down the transmission of the virus, the focus should be continued on testing, tracing and treatment for the disease along with following Covid appropriate protocols, the CM also said. Health experts have expressed their concerns about the upcoming festival season as they may become super spreaders of the disease, Thackeray said and emphasised that people need to behave responsibly.

Amit Deshmukh, the state minister for education also echoed the CM’s views and expressed concerns over the rising daily infections in some districts of the state. “A slight rise in COVID-19 cases is worrisome. People should strictly follow COVID-appropriate behaviour,” PTI quoted Deshmukh as saying. The minister also said that the healthcare system in the state should remain vigilant as fear looms about a possible third wave of infections.

The remarks from the state government came as the Centre extended the Covid-19 containment measures until September 30. Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla had asked the states to contain large gatherings in view of the pandemic. “State Governments/UT Administrations are further advised to take suitable measures to avoid large gatherings during the coming festive season and if required, impose local restrictions with a view to curb such large gatherings,” he had written to the state chief secretaries.

As many as 4,831 people tested positive for the disease and 126 more died in Maharashtra on the day as the total confirmed infections reached 6,452,273 and the death toll climbed to 137,026, according to the latest data.