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Maharashtra coronavirus cases jump to 52; 5 patients recover
The health minister said the government will release five patients who have recovered from Covid-19 but they will have to self-quarantine at home as they haven’t completed the mandatory 14 days.
Maharashtra reported three more coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of confirmed infection to 52, public health minister Rajesh Tope said on Friday, as the state mulled the possibility of a complete shutdown of Mumbai.
Rajesh Tope said three people have tested positive for coronavirus— one each from Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune and Mumbai.
The health minister said the government will release five patients who have recovered but they will have to self-quarantine at home as they haven’t completed the mandatory 14 days.
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had referred to the coronavirus pandemic as a “war-like situation” on Thursday and appealed to people not to step out of their homes unnecessarily.
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Under the shutdown, if implemented, the state will order the closure of the city’s lifeline — the local train network — and buses to ensure people don’t step out.
Thackeray indicated in his address to people of the state that they will have to stop all trains and buses if crowding is not reduced.
More measures
The state has laid down more stringent measures, including jail terms for people fleeing quarantine.
Home minister Anil Deshmukh directed police to punish offenders under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, for endangering lives. The offenders are liable to be punished with imprisonment up to six months and a penalty of Rs 1000.
Several government departments have decided to allow their employees to work on alternate days after the state government asked them to bring down the attendance of employees to 50%.
The state had issued a government resolution on Wednesday, directing all its departments and district offices to bring the attendance below 50%.
“The salaries of employees not reporting to the offices during these days will not be deducted,” said an official from Mantralaya.
Employees from departments involved in essential services such as public health, medical education and police have been excluded from the diktat.
The public health department has also directed government offices to minimise the use of air conditioners in offices to minimise the threat of the spread of the virus.
Buses, prisoners
Thackeray had on Wednesday directed all public transport agencies, which include local trains, BEST buses, state transport buses and private buses, to carry passengers at 50% capacity to reduce crowding, to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
He has also directed the local administration not to allow all shops to remain open all the time in a day and regulate the timings so that gathering can be reduced, which will help in preventing community transmission.
The chief minister also directed that the government employees will work on a rotation basis and only 50% of employees will work on a given day.
“This is a war against the virus that needs to be fought together,” the chief minister said in his 10-minute address on Thursday.
Thackeray also asked those coming from abroad to strictly follow home quarantine instructions so that they do not infect others directly or indirectly.
The state’s home department has also directed district offices to expedite the bail process for inmates lodged in various jails to reduce crowding.
Home minister Deshmukh said that the new prisoners coming to jails are being thoroughly checked before their entry and are being kept in isolation for a few days.
A section of government officials says that the government should take the decision of a complete shut- down of public transport like buses and locals for at least a week to curb crowding on the streets.
