Don't be complacent in Covid-19 fight: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday asked the authorities and citizens not to become complacent in the fight against coronavirus in view of its second wave in Britain and Brazil.

Speaking during the Covid-19 presentation in the cabinet meeting, Thackeray said the number of patients here have decreased due to herd immunity.

"But despite this, Europe has seen a second wave that is spreading faster," he said.

State health secretary Pradeep Vyas said during the presentation that on January 20, there were 1,820 deaths in Britain due to the new strain, while in Brazil there are 1,000 deaths every day.

In Brazil, there are 50,000 new patients daily, he said.

"In these countries, the number of positive cases had declined from June-July last year due to the herd immunity. But then the new strain, which spreads 70 per cent faster, came to light. As per a news report, 40 per cent more deaths have been caused due to the new strain," he said.

Thackeray said the new virus strain has been found in South Africa, Britain and Brazil.

"We need to take care that the new strain does not spread here. We have started vaccination, but we should follow all safety protocols," he said.

The chief minister added that his government will be cautious in lifting the lockdown restrictions currently in place.

"The state government is in correspondence with the Centre for quarantining passengers in the same city's international airports on arrival," he said.

Vyas said the state has got 18,02,000 Covishield vaccines and 1,70,400 Covaxin doses and 3,54,633 people have so far received the first jab.

Even though the number of positive cases is on the decline, districts like Amravati, Yavatmal, Akola, Bhandara, Nandurbar, Wardha, Ratnagiri, Gadchiroli and Nanded are witnessing a rise and the testing is less.

After the suburban trains opened for all from February 1, around 20 lakh commuters travel on the Central Railway route and 14 lakh on the Western Railway daily, it was told in the meeting.