Maharashtra’s case count rises to 2,684; toll 178

Three hundred and fifty more people across Maharashtra tested positive for the coronavirus and 18 died of it on Tuesday, taking the state’s case count and toll to

Three hundred and fifty more people across Maharashtra tested positive for the coronavirus and 18 died of it on Tuesday, taking the state’s case count and toll to 2,684 and 178. For a second consecutive day, the state reported 350 or more cases, including 216 in Mumbai alone. The financial capital also reported 11 deaths.

HT Image

With the number of coronavirus cases rising rapidly, the Maharashtra government has sought permission from the Central government for starting clinical trials of plasma therapy and BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin) vaccine — given to newborns and children to prevent childhood tuberculosis —for treatment of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Tuesday.

Thackeray, who had reviewed the situation in the districts with no or comparatively fewer coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients on Monday, so as to decide on beginning industrial operations in these areas, said the decision about relaxing curbs will be taken on April 20. He, however, announced a committee of scientists and financial experts, including Raghunath Mashelar, Deepak Parikh and Ajit Ranade, to suggest steps to be taken for the revival of the state economy. The state government has already appointed two separate committees of ministers and bureaucrats for deliberation on revival of the state economy. The government has reportedly deferred its plan to allow industrial operations in some of the districts after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Tuesday morning that the decision about relaxation will be taken after reviewing the situation for the next week, until April 20.

Of the 18 people who died on Tuesday, 11 are from Mumbai, four from Pune and one each from Aurangabad and Ahmednagar. One victim was from outside the state.

Eleven of the victims were in the age group of 40 to 60 years, while five were above 60 years of age and two were less than 40 years. Thirteen of the 18 had underlying ailments like diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma and heart ailments. One of them was suffering from cancer, while one was suffering from tuberculosis, the statement issued by the health department has stated.

The state government has performed 46,588 tests till Tuesday. A total of 5,059 teams formed to monitor people suspected of contact history with infected patients and in the containment zones, have so far screened 18.37 lakh people for symptoms of the virus. At present, 67,701 citizens are under home quarantine, while 5,647 are in institutional quarantine. 259 positive patients have so far been discharged after they recovered from the infection.

The authorities have traced most of the 1,400 attendees of the Tablighi Markaz event at Nizamuddin in Delhi last month. 755 of them have undergone tests and 50 have tested positive. Seven of them are from Latur, seven in Yavatmal, six in Buldhana, 14 in Mumbai, and two each in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Nagpur and Ahmednagar. One each from Ratnagiri, Nagpur, Hingoli, Jalgaon, Osmanabad, Kolhapur and Washim have tested positive. Seven people, who had come in close contacts with these attendees, have tested positive.

The state has witnessed a rise of 1,666 patients and 114 deaths in eight days (April 8 to 14). “Last two days have seen more than 350 patients testing positive, from the average of little more than 200 patients for four days before it. We expect the trend to continue for a few more days before the downward trend begins,” said a senior official from the health department.

Thackeray said that it is an alarming rise, but there is no need to panic. “Maharashtra rate is high in the country, but it is also because of the highest number of tests we have been performing. I have spoken to the mother of a six-month-old kid who has recovered from the infection and an 83-year old woman who recovered from it. This means with courage and patience the war against the coronavirus could be conquered,” he said.

“We have sought permission from the Centre for starting clinical trial of plasma therapy and BCG vaccine for treatment of Covid-19 in the state. I am sure the state will get breakthrough after getting permission for conducting the studies,” Thackeray said, in his address to the state through Facebook Live.

Sanjay Mukherjee, secretary, state medical education department, said they required permission for starting clinical trials from various agencies of the Centre, which includes Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Central Drugs Safety Organisation (CDSO), Drug Controller General of India, among other. For both studies, BCG vaccine and plasma treatment, permission has been sought.

“Haffkine Institute has conducted a study on BCG vaccine as treatment of coronavirus and has got encouraging results. But we have to follow a protocol. We have given all the required permissions from the state and sent it to the Centre. While, Central Drugs Safety Organisation has given the permission, we still need the same from ICMR and Drug Controller General of India. Chief secretary Ajoy Mehta, too, has written to the Centre, for clearing the pending permission,” Mukherjee said.

It is said that mild and moderate cases of coronavirus got cured and severe cases gets mild with BCG therapy, he said.

After receiving permission, clinical trial can be started, which will be based on randomised-control trials with double-blind technique. The same process is applicable for plasma therapy, said the medical education secretary.

India is in the final stages of framing a protocol for conducting a clinical trial for convalescent plasma therapy, which uses antibodies from the blood of cured patients, to treat severely ill Covid-19 patients.

Kerala has got permission for conducting clinical trials of plasma therapy in the state.

“Once clinical trials are successful, the state can start them — BCG vaccine and plasma therapy as a treatment for Covid-19 patients,” said the medical education secretary.

Meanwhile, the state government is tapping the possibility of relaxing restrictions in the districts, where there are no Covid-19 patients and allowing industrial operations there. The cabinet sub-committee of seven senior cabinet ministers deliberated on Tuesday on many such factors to minimise financial losses and bring public life to normal to some extent.

“The revival of the state economy is a task before us as the state is going through a challenging economic situation owing to the lockdown. There was a pressing demand for lifting of restrictions on industries in the green-zone districts, which have no Covid-19 patients. We are considering to allow industries to operate with 30% of their manpower to maintain social distancing and at the same time, bring industrial activities back to normal,” said public works department minister Ashok Chavan, who is member of the sub-committee.

State government has appointed two committees for the revival of the state economy, which has been wading through challenging times owing to the Covid-19 lockdown. One committee comprises incumbent and former bureaucrats who are serving or have served in the finance department and state-owned financial institutions. The another cabinet sub-committee is headed by deputy chief and finance minister Ajit Pawar and comprises six other senior ministers. In its first meeting on Tuesday, the committee discussed various issues state economy and industry is currently facing and the ways out to face it. The committee was unanimous on the urgent need of relaxing the restrictions on the industries in the districts that fall under the green and orange zones.

The issue of allowing migrant workers to go back to their respective states was also discussed in the sub-committee meeting. There are 5.62 lakh migrants put up in 4,618 shelters across the state. They also include the cane cutters who are stuck in other districts and neighbouring states after the harvesting for the season got over. “There could be an arrangement of allowing people to travel to their home district or the state after thorough check-up and valid passes. There are limitations of the authorities to make arrangements for these migrant workers,” Chavan said.

Officials, however, said that the decision about the relaxation in the green zone districts is expected only after the due deliberations with the central government. “We expect the guidelines to be issued by the central government over the relaxations in some of the districts. The Centre has already issued a circular to exempt some of the auxiliary segments from the lockdown for the smooth operations of the essential services. But now prime minister, in his address on Tuesday said that they will review the situation over next week before any decision on relaxation. The district collectors have been asked to ready their plan for the industrial operations in the green zone districts, but the decision is yet to be taken,” said an official from the state government. The official said that operation of the industrial units not related to the essential commodities may begin after a week.

State government said on Tuesday that it has completed the planning for the seeds and fertilizers required for the sowing on 140 lakh hectares of cultivable land in Kharip season beginning next month. State agriculture minster Dadaji Bhuse said that stock of 16.57 lakh quintal seeds and 40 lakh metric ton fertilizer has been readied for the season.