MUMBAI: After Mumbai, Covid-19 positive cases have significantly increased in the last few days across Maharashtra. According to Maharashtra’s health department data, 652 people were infected on February 11. “On February 14, it reached 4,092. On Monday, 3365 cases were reported across the state with 23 deaths. Most of these are from 10 districts, including Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, Gadchiroli, Aamarawati etc,” said Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope.
Dr Shashank Joshi, member of the state government’s Covid-19 task force, said reopening of schools, colleges, markets, religious places have resulted in the sudden spike. He cited general reluctance to follow guidelines as another reason. “Wearing masks is not taken seriously. Besides, social distancing is not followed. If people do not take this seriously, then we have no option but to shut down everything, like in the earlier phase,” he said.
Health Minister Tope also sounded worried. “Covid cases are mainly rising in Vidarbha and Mumbai. The second dose of vaccine has been given. Last Sunday, 11,431 new patients were found in India. Of them, 4092 are from Maharashtra,” he said on Monday.
So far, 1.09 crore people in India have contracted coronavirus,. Of them, 1.06 crore have recovered, while 1.55 lakh people have dieda. At present 1.36 lakh people in the country are undergoing treatment for coronavirus.