Risk of mutation can’t be ignored, danger yet to pass, says Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray

Chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray alerted people with the possible mutation of the virus, like it has spread in other countries, and stressed for the need to

Chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray alerted people with the possible mutation of the virus, like it has spread in other countries, and stressed for the need to follow the Covid appropriate behaviour. Ruling out the need of reimposing the lockdown, the CM also justified his move of imposing night curfew by saying it will inculcate the sense of risk of spread of the virus among the people.

Uddhav Thackeray.

CM while speaking to the media at his official bungalow, Varsha, on Thursday evening, said that the government has taken precautions to ensure that the virus doesn’t spread from the people coming from other countries where the second strain of the virus has been found. “We have started tracing the people coming from the United Kingdom (UK) where the new variant of the virus is found. But what if the same mutation takes place here, in our state. We are not paying heed to the possibility. To avert any such risk, we should follow the Covid-19 protocols by maintaining a safe distance, wearing masks and keep hands washing,” he said.

Hitting out at his detractors, the CM justified the need of night curfew. “They asked if the virus spreads only at night and not during the day, questioning our decision of imposing night curfew. But they should understand that the curfew is to spread a sense of responsibility as the danger of the spread of virus still hovers over us. This will help us realise the seriousness of the situation. We don’t want to impose lockdown restrictions during the day, because there is no need of any such step currently,” Thackeray said.

The state has imposed night curfew between 11pm and 6pm from December 22 to January 5 in the jurisdiction of 27 municipal corporations and has empowered the district collectors to impose the same if they feel necessary. It has made quarantine mandatory for the international passengers coming from Europe, Middle-East and South Africa to avert any possible spread of a new rapidly transmitting strain of Covid-19 from the travellers coming for countries at risk.

Thackeray candidly admitted that he was under tremendous pressure during the initial peak of the pandemic. He said that in the wake of the scarcity of everything from doctors to medicines to oxygen and infrastructure, it was a huge challenge to contain the spread. He also took a dig at the central government for the hardship caused to the migrant workers during their mass exodus. “Days before the national lockdown was imposed on March 23, I repeatedly requested the Centre to arrange special trains for migrants and offered to pay the charges for it. It was very difficult to hold them back in the scenario they have been staying, but the Centre did not concede. As a result, migrants were forced to stay when we should have allowed them to travel to their native,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) initiated with the process to check on 55 passengers who returned from the United Kingdom between November 25 to December 23, followed by the directions from the Maharashtra government.

“We have received a list of 55 passengers who returned from the UK to Kalyan-Dombivli during the specific period. Our area-wise health post has been asked to visit them and check on their health status. We will check if they have symptoms and will be asked to do RT-PCR and if tested positive we will take further measures to track their contacts,” said Dr Pratibha Panpatil, epidemic officer, KDMC.

The KDMC on Thursday recorded 118 fresh Covid cases and the total number of cases till date is 60,034. The civic body has recorded 980 deaths till date.

(With inputs from Sajana Nambiar)