221 new cases push Maha closer to 2K-mark

Mumbai

Mumbai

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Maharashtra recorded 221 coronavirus cases and 10 deaths on Sunday, taking the state closer to the 2,000-case mark at 1,982. The death toll has reached 149, state figures revealed.

The state had crossed 1,000 cases just last Tuesday, but the past five days reported more than 100 per day, including three days that saw more than 200 cases. Mumbai has 1,298 positive cases and 92 deaths. The state has tested 41,109 people. It has also kept 5,064 suspected patients under government quarantine facility, while 61,247 are quarantined at home, said the health officials.

Senior officials have indicated that the rate of the virus’s spread will be arrested, but it could take a couple of days. “The rise is on and for two days, the number of new cases had even crossed the 200 mark, but on Saturday, it came down to 187. We have taken adequate measures to curb the spread and are hoping that the decline in new cases will start in the next couple of days,” said a senior official, requesting anonymity.

The rising numbers had forced chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday to extend the lockdown till April 30, so as to prevent the state from slipping in to phase three — community spread — of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, said the official. He has also said that they may have to extend it even further if people did not co-operate. However, the state is also mulling to relax restrictions in areas where there are no cases. “There is a meeting with the chief minister on Monday where the issue is likely to be discussed. We have suggested that the areas that are completely unaffected should be given some relaxations,” said another senior official, wishing not to be named.

Meanwhile, the state medical education department on Sunday directed all government and private medical colleges to send their proposals to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for starting Covid-19 tests. “There are eight government and 33 private medical colleges, where the facility is yet to be started. We have asked all of them to send their proposals to ICMR so that the facility can be started there as well,” said Dr Tatyarao Lahane, director, Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER).

The testing facility for Covid-19 is currently available at 17 government and 15 private medical colleges across the state.

Meanwhile, the state government decided to cancel this year’s geography paper of Class 10. It has further decided to cancel the second semester examinations of Classes 9 and 11. The results will be declared based on performance of the students for the entire year, said school education minister Varsha Gaikwad.

Geography paper of Class 10 was supposed to be held on March 23, but was postponed following the outbreak. The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary & Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) will come out with a fair marking formula for Class 10 students, said the education minister.

To curb practice of overpricing and black-marketing in the lockdown period, state food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal also directed the legal metrology department to form squads with the help of police, revenue officials and inspect godowns, shops of retail and wholesale traders and take action accordingly. “They can be booked for violating Commodities Act and can face imprisonment up to seven years, said an official from food and civil supplies department.

Meanwhile, the district administration of Wardha in Vidarbha has decided to disinfect the vehicles entering the district for supplying essential commodities. Wardha collector Vivek Bhimanwar issued orders on Sunday. He has also directed to stop vegetable supplies from the districts affected by the epidemic.

Wardha has no case of coronavirus so far.