Uddhav Thackeray said that people in Maharashtra have become complacent about COVID-19.
Bombay:
The possibility of a shutdown in Maharashtra cannot be ruled out if the surge in coronavirus cases continues, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Friday amid a new wave of COVID-19 in the state that has experienced the highest daily infections. since the beginning of the pandemic in the last two weeks.
“I can’t rule out imposing a lockdown if the current COVID-19 situation prevails. People have become complacent. We are in a Catch 22 situation, should we look at the economy or health?” the Chief Minister said in a televised speech.
“If this condition continues, I already told you that in 15 days we will exhaust our infrastructure. So today I am giving you a warning of a blockade. I have not announced a blockade yet. But I do not find a solution in two days after talking to more people Then I have no choice, “he said.
Thackeray said the state will announce new restrictions in the next two days.
Maharashtra, which has been hit hardest by COVID-19 so far, reported as many as 47,827 new cases on Friday, its highest level since the pandemic spread to India in March 2020, and 202 deaths. Several districts have announced special restrictions such as a night curfew.
The numbers accounted for more than half of the more than 81,000 new COVID-19 infections reported nationwide by the Union Ministry of Health earlier in the day, the highest daily number in six months.
Data from the Ministry of Health showed that the total number of cases rose to 1.23 million rupees, making India the third most affected country by the virus after the United States and Brazil. The death toll increased by 469 to 1.63,396.
Vaccination campaigns have intensified amid the recent surge in cases, and many states are considering imposing new restrictions on the movement of people.
India imposed one of the toughest lockdowns in the world to control the coronavirus early last year, but it eased to save the economy, with cases gradually declining by the end of the year. This year’s new increase presents a challenge for the government, which has already struggled to implement last year’s lockdown.
Infection figures also increased on Friday in the states of Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Punjab, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
(With inputs from agencies)
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