MUMBAI: Even as Maharashtra and Mumbai reported a slight decline in daily cases on Friday, the Centre asked the state government to consider imposing local restrictions on mass events and public gatherings during the upcoming festive season to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
In a letter to state chief secretary Sitaram Kunte, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote: “Though the trajectory of daily new cases has shown a decline over the last month, there are some districts in Maharashtra which are showing early signs of upsurge in Covid-19 cases and test positivity... In view of mass events and public gatherings expected during celebrations of upcoming festivals, including dahi handi and Ganeshotsav, it is advised that the state may consider imposing and enforcing local restrictions.”
On Friday, Maharashtra reported 4,654 new cases, after two days of adding 5,000-plus cases, and 170 deaths. With this, the state’s total caseload rose to nearly 64.5 lakh and total fatalities climbed to almost 1.4 lakh. Mumbai reported over 300 new cases for the third consecutive day—362 cases on Friday as against 398 on Thursday and 342 on Wednesday—and five deaths. The city’s caseload rose to more than 7.4 lakh and overall death toll to 15,968. The test positivity rate rose to 1% with 35,870 tests in Mumbai; the figure had been around 0.7% for many days in August.
BMC officials said the numbers over the next few days will prove whether the rise in cases is a “blip or something to worry about”.
The BMC also issued an appeal to Mumbaikars to get themselves tested immediately if they had come in contact with infected people or had developed mild symptoms. “Against the backdrop of a possible third wave, as well as due to the relaxation in the restrictions, we have been told to step up testing,” said an official.
To prepare for the third wave, Rs 1,367 crore has been budgeted for the state under the National Health Mission, said minister of state for public health Rajendra Patil-Yadravkar. Of this, the central share is Rs 820 crore, while that of the state is Rs 547 crore.
