The Covid-19 ground situation in Mumbai and the rest of Maharashtra seems to be worsening with the 24-hour cases jumping past the 5,000-mark coinciding with the New Year festivities on Thursday.
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray chaired a high-level meeting with top officials and Covid-19 Task Force members.
“The increasing positivity rate is a matter of concern,” state public health and family welfare minister Rajesh Tope said.
On Thursday, 5,368 cases and 22 deaths were reported in Maharashtra taking the progressive total to 66,70,754 and 1,41,518, respectively.
This is a significant jump from the 3,900 cases reported in the case a day ago.
During the day, 198 Omicron cases were reported pushing the progressive total to 450.
These include the 327 cases reported in Mumbai which include foreign travellers landing at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, one of the busiest airports of Asia.
Of the 5,368 cases, 3,671 cases were reported in Mumbai while the same for the Mumbai metropolitan region 4,566 cases.
A day ago, Mumbai and MMR reported 2,445 and 3,173 cases, respectively.
“With 8.14% Covid positivity rate in Mumbai, the scenario is extremely critical and we are closer to lockdown. People should visualise the second wave and strictly practise Covid appropriate behaviour/CAB, irrespective of what step administrative machinery takes. Extremely difficult time ahead,” said Dr Ishwar Gilada, the secretary-general, Organised Medicine Academic Guild.
Elaborating further Tope said, “Around 4000 cases in Mumbai were reported in Mumbai today. Today’s positivity rate is 8.48%. SGTF kits must be used to differentiate between Omicron and Delta Plus variants. Vaccination drives to be done at full speed, everyone must be fully vaccinated”.
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