Mumbai: Maharashtra government Wednesday announced a series of curbs after a steep rise in new Coronavirus cases in Mumbai and other parts of the state.
State capital Mumbai Wednesday registered more than 2,500 Covid-19 cases even as reports coming from other parts of the state too gave a frightening picture.
According to the latest figure released by the state health department, Maharashtra count suddenly shot up - from 2,172 on Tuesday to 3,900 on Wednesday - although the fatalities dropped from 22 a day before to 20 on Wednesday. The state presently has a mortality rate of 2.12 per cent.
Mumbai, Pune and Thane remain at the top with the highest number of active cases, which shot up from 11,492 a day before to 14,065 on Wednesday, with a recovery rate of 97.61 per cent.
Maharashtra on Wednesday notched a whopping 85 new cases of Omicron, taking the state's tally of the latest Covid variant to 252, health officials said here.
Of the fresh cases, Mumbai reported the most at 53, followed by Thane (13), Pune (11), Nagpur (3), Palghar and Raigad (2 each), and Kolhapur and Buldhana (1 each).
Among the infectees, 47 have recent travel history to foreign countries, while 4 were their close contacts, and the rest emerged from community surveillance but had no international travel history.
Terming the sudden spike in Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra "alarming", Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that the infections are multiplying with the positivity rate also shooting up, with the added complications of Omicron.
"On December 20, there were around 6,000 active cases in the state, now it has doubled, and is likely to touch 20,000 today or so. Increasing number of active cases is a matter of concern," he said.
The minister added that barely a week ago, the number of daily infections recorded was less than 1,000 (December 21, 825 cases), which has now shot up to over 2,000 (December 28, 2,172 cases).
Several Maharashtra leaders, including Nationalist Congress Party MP Supriya Sule and her husband, Sadanand Sule, two state ministers and at least one legislator, have also tested positive for Covid-19.
The affected ministers are School Education Minister Prof Varsha Gaikwad, who has been afflicted for the second time, and Tribal Development Minister K.C. Padvi.
Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party legislator from Nagpur Sameer D. Meghe also tested positive and has gone into isolation for treatment.
Around five dozen persons including ministers, legislators, staffers, security and police personnel have been infected by Covid-19 during the weeklong Winter Session of the legislature which ended here on Tuesday.
Mumbai presented a shocker with nearly doubling of new Covid-19 infections - from 1,333 on Tuesday to 2,510 within 24 hours, besides one death and a recovery rate of 97 per cent.
The number of buildings sealed is now 45 and one slum area has also become an active containment zone with the increasing number of cases.
With a sharp spike in Covid-19 cases in the past one week, the state stands on the threshold of the third wave, plus a growing number of the Coronavirus variant Omicron that has the health authorities on their toes.
Worried with the spike in Covid-19 and Omicron cases, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday clamped fresh restrictions on all New Year celebrations, advising people above 60 and kids below 10 to remain indoors.
Public events will be allowed up to 50 per cent capacity in closed halls or auditoria, and upto 25 per cent of capacity in open spaces, and no bursting of fire-crackers to welcome the New Year 2022 on Friday/Saturday.
All care must be taken to ensure social distancing is maintained and crowding is avoided at public places of New Year celebrations like Gateway of India, Marine Drive, Girgaum and Juhu beaches and all other beaches, gardens, grounds, etc, besides use of face masks and sanitisers, said an official notification.
While citizens aged 60 and above or kids of 10 years and less have been advised to remain indoors for health and safety reasons, the government has barred any kind of religious or cultural events or processions attracting crowds, or avoid visiting religious places on New Year Day, said an official notification.
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