Maharashtra crosses 1.8 million Covid-19 cases; state hints against lockdown

Maharashtra on Thursday went past 1.8 million Covid-19 infections with 6,406 new cases, pushing the tally to 1,802,365, even as the state hinted against imposing any lockdown

Maharashtra on Thursday went past 1.8 million Covid-19 infections with 6,406 new cases, pushing the tally to 1,802,365, even as the state hinted against imposing any lockdown. Mumbai reported 1,147 new cases and added 15 deaths, taking the tally to 279,744 and toll to 10,740. The state’s death toll was pushed up to 46,813 with the addition of 65 new fatalities on Thursday.

A health worker collects a swab sample of a resident. (Satish Bate/HT Photo)

Cases are on the rise in the state in the past ten days as the daily caseload first mounted to over 5,000 cases from November 18 and over 6,000 cases in the past two days. Nine days before it, the daily caseload average was 3,690. Despite the steady rise in cases, owing to crowding during Diwali and fall in temperature, the state government in not in favour of reimposing a lockdown.

Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has opposed any new lockdown as he feels it badly affects the economy and vulnerable population. “We cannot afford any more lockdown. The poorer class, which makes its living on daily wages, has been affected badly during the lockdown. Despite it, they cooperated with the state and central government with lockdown imposed earlier. I think instead of curbs, all of us should adhere to the health protocol by maintaining social distancing and wearing masks as it will help us contain the virus spread,” he said in Pandharpur.

According to officials from the health department, a section of ministers and bureaucracy is against imposing a fresh lockdown. “Central government, through its notification on Wednesday, prohibited states to impose a lockdown without its permission. Even the state authorities are against it as the collateral economic and social damages are more than the health benefits. Instead of it, we are focusing on strict implementation of health protocol and tapping superspreaders. We believe that it will help us contain the spread to a large extent,” said an official.

The doubling rate, which is a crucial parameter to show the growth of the outbreak, improved to 81 days in the state as the caseload breached the grim milestone of 1.8 million, 81 days after it crossed 900,000 cases on September 6. The last 100,000 cases were reported in 26 days, after going past 1.7 million cases on November 5. After crossing the 1.5 million mark on October 9, another 100,00 cases were added in 10 days, taking the tally to 1,601,365 on October 19 and another 17 days to take the tally to 1,703,444 on November 5.

In Mumbai, for a second day in a row, recorded over 1,000 fresh Covid-19 cases on Thursday, at 1,147, taking the total to 279,744. Mumbai also recorded 15 new deaths on Thursday, taking the toll to 10,740. Active cases in Mumbai have now gone up to 14,185, up from 12,707 in the beginning of this week, and 11,822 last week.