'Mask is armour'

Thackeray made a strong case for wearing masks while explaining the gravity of the situation. Till the vaccine is available to all, masks were the armour for everybody in the war against the virus, he said. ‘’If we fall short by not masking up, this invisible enemy will attack. At times, this enemy will even attack us through our friends and dear ones. Let me request you again. Wearing a mask is mandatory. Both, before and af ter being vaccinated,’’ he opined.

He said the number of active cases, which had fallen to just 40,000, is now at 53,000 in Maharashtra. Cases are also rising in Mumbai and Pune. "This has happened in the span of just a week. Let me put forth some numbers before you. Please think about it. Today, there were 6,971 positive cases in our state. A fortnight ago, the cases were in the range of 2,000 to 2,500,’’ he noted.