Jaan, Jahan: PM weighs lockdown call Maha lockdown till April 30; 187 fresh virus cases

MUMBAI REPORTED 138 CASES AND 12 DEATHS, TAKING THE CITY’S VIRUS CASE COUNT AND TOLL TO 1,146 AND 76

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Saturday said it will extend the current lockdown, which was to end on Tuesday, by at least two more weeks to April 30, as the state’s coronavirus case count and toll increased to 1,761 and 127. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray warned that it may have to extend the lockdown after April 30 if people don’t follow it strictly, as it was the only way to contain the outbreak.

The state reported 187 cases and 17 deaths on Saturday, including 138 cases and 12 deaths in Mumbai, where the tally and toll have increased to 1,146 and 76 respectively. A total of 208 patients have been discharged across the state after full recovery. In Maharashtra, 38,800 people are in home quarantine and 4,964 people are in institutional quarantine.

Thackeray, in his routine video address, said, “The number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients is rising rapidly, although most of them are in Mumbai. The authorities have started working proactively to trace and test suspected people, so as to avoid multiplication of virus cases. I am confident that the chain of the spread of the infection will be broken soon. For which, there is no way, but to go for the extension of the lockdown at least till April 30. Further extension all depends upon how well the restrictions are followed by the people,” he said.

The state government is, however, expected to relax rules for the districts that have no cases, as has been planned by the Central government. Maharashtra has eight districts (most of them in Vidarbha), which have not reported a single Covid-19 case. State health minister Rajesh Tope said the Centre was earmarking areas into three categories — red, orange and green zones — for the implementation of the lockdown and a Central advisory was expected to be issued soon. Red and orange zones are ones with more than 15 and less than 15 patients respectively, while the green zone will be those without any patients. Industries could be allowed to function in green zones under certain conditions, he said.