Maharashtra: As Covid-19 cases rise, govt warns of a lockdown if people ignore guidelines

The warning came as Maharashtra clocked over 5,000 cases for the fifth consecutive day, taking the tally to 1,780,208, with 5,753 new infections on Sunday

As Covid-19 cases start rising Maharashtra again, a concerned state government has warned of a lockdown.

The state had clocked fewer than 5,000 cases for nine days in a row till November 17, with a daily average of 3,628 cases. (Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

The Covid-19 pandemic had been brought under control in Maharashtra thanks to the restraint and discipline of the citizens, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said Sunday, but he also warned that if people did not continue to follow safety measures, it could trigger a second wave “like a tsunami”.

The warning came as Maharashtra clocked over 5,000 cases for the fifth consecutive day, taking the tally to 1,780,208, with 5,753 new infections on Sunday. Nearly 20% of the cases recorded on Sunday came from Mumbai alone, where 1,135 new infections were recorded.

The state had clocked fewer than 5,000 cases for nine days in a row till November 17, with a daily average of 3,628 cases.

Thackeray said that Maharashtra was at a crossroads in its fight against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and warned people that there could be another lockdown if appropriate behaviour was not followed.

Health experts and the state administration are expecting a second wave to hit Maharashtra by December-end. The next eight-10 days are crucial to ascertain how huge the surge might be.

The chief minister, in his address to the state, said that he’s been advised by some to impose night curfew like in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. “Some people are suggesting to me that there should be night curfew. But not everything can be done by enacting laws. We did not ban firecrackers for Diwali and instead we appealed to the people to exercise caution. And they followed. Similarly, I’m appealing to you not to venture out of your homes unnecessarily,” he said.