State’s tally goes up to 203; 2 more die; CM Thackeray warns of rise

THE STATE HAS STARTED 262 RELIEF CAMPS, WHERE 70,399 MIGRANT LABOURERS AND THE HOMELESS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED FOOD AND SHELTER

MUMBAI: Maharashtra’s coronavirus count on Sunday went up by 17 cases to 203, even as chief minister Uddhav Thackeray warned of a further rise in numbers next month. Two more people died of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) — one each in Mumbai and Buldhana — taking the state’s toll to eight.

Of the 17 cases, six are in Mumbai, three each in Pune, Nagpur and Ahmednagar, and one each in Sangli and Ahmednagar. As of Sunday, 35 patients have been discharged from hospitals across the state.

Thackeray, in his address to the people of Maharashtra, said there could be a rise in pneumonia cases and that private hospitals need to be more careful. The state is also likely to shift the APMC market in Vashi to a much larger space in Kharghar, so as to maintain distance between people. Thackeray also warned that strict action will be taken if people do not stop crowding markets as he reminded that the coming days could see Covid-19 cases multiplying. “The state government is expecting a spike in cases in the second and third week of April, and is thus taking all precautions. What we are trying to do is minimise the rise. It has been observed in other countries that after 30-35 days from the first case, the number of cases rise suddenly,” said a senior official.

The first cases of the infection (Sars-cov-2) in the state were detected on March 9. The state is trying to keep many hospitals, isolation wards and quarantine wards in the city and state ready to deal with any situation.

Among the 17 new cases on Sunday, a seven-month-old baby tested positive to become the youngest Covid-19 patient in Maharashtra.

“It is an emergency-like situation. The number of cases has started rising and it will rise even further. However, we want this rise to be restricted… This is the phase when multiplication of cases will start…if we stop its spread now, it can be contained and we will win this war. It’s time everyone shoulders responsibilities,” the chief minister said.