Another Lockdown In Maharashtra? Decision To Be Made In Next 8-10 Days

Following the predictions of a second COVID-19 wave and huge crowds witnessed during the festive season; is it time to gear up for another lockdown?! Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, in a media address on Sunday, has hinted at the possibility of another lockdown in the state.

The festive season, Ganesh festival followed by Diwali, brought in huge crowds which may have led to an increased spread of the virus. The authorities have witnessed a sudden surge in the number of COVID cases post Diwali with 5753 new COVID cases reported in the state on Sunday. Out of which, the count in Mumbai alone is 1135, while there are a total of 81,512 active cases in the state currently. The reported case count in Nashik city was 119, Pune City was 323, Pimpri Chinchwad was 206 and Nagpur city was 418.

This surge in case counts coupled with the Government’s decision to reopen schools for classes 9 to 12 on the 23rd November, has made it essential to take adequate safety measures. Even though the Government has imposed a number of regulations on safety and sanitisation protocols for schools; the reopening has been postponed to 30th November in some areas such as PCMC as a result of a number of teachers and school staff testing positive for the virus. 

The suspension of trains and flights operating from Delhi is another measure that might be undertaken looking at the rising number of cases in the capital. However, no decisions have been made thus far and the state Government will announce a concrete decision in the next 8-10 days. 

News Source: Livemint