New Delhi: As Maharashtra records almost 7,000 new cases on 21st February, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray has banned all the gatherings in the state. A decision on the state-wide lockdown will be taken in next few days. For now, a week-long lockdown has been imposed in Amravati district along with a night curfew in Pune.
In last week, Maharashtra has seen an increase of more than 3,000 cases each day. Ratnagiri, Beed, Sindhudurg, Raigad, Satara and Amravati are the six districts where a noticeable rise in average daily deaths has been witnessed.
In an address to the state residents, CM Thackeray said, “The pandemic is raising its head in the state, but whether it is another wave will be known in eight to 15 days. Lockdown may not be the solution to COVID-19, but it is the only option to break the cycle of the virus.” He also added,” Wear mask, maintain discipline and observe social distancing to avoid a lockdown.” Last Wednesday in its mouthpiece Saamna, Shiv Sena said that the public is not following the government’s advice. It said, “Follow the rules, otherwise the lockdown will have to be imposed again. The same warning has been given by the State Health Minister (Rajesh Tope) himself. The public should take it seriously.”
The thing which is worrisome is that Mumbai is also recording an increase of more than 900 cases for the last two days which is the same number of cases which were being recorded during the last wave of covid-19 in the city during November.
According to reports, following districts on 21st February, recorded these many cases:
Mumbai- 921
Amravati- 666
Nagpur- 599
Pune- 640
Pimpri Chinchwad and Nashik- 291
Aurangabad- 103
Within the last 10 days, number of cases in Mumbai has reached November level. Whether this is another wave of covid-19 or not, will be clear in coming days.