Lockdown in Maharashtra? State prepares for final announcement as COVID cases surge

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that residents should be prepared for lockdown as COVID-19 cases are on a constant rise in the state. He said that the planning for a lockdown is underway and the state government will give residents adequate time so that they can prepare themselves before a total shutdown is imposed. “We have started planning for a lockdown. Discussions on its impact and the interventions needed to minimise the impact are being held," Tope said as quoted by a leading daily. 

Senior officials said that the work of drafting SOPs on how the lockdown will be imposed is on, according to the Times of India. Earlier Tope had said that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will take a final decision regarding imposing a statewide lockdown after April 14.

Maharashtra minister Aslam Shaikh said that the people will get enough time to prepare for a lockdown before it is implemented. 

“The state govt is making a fool-proof plan on what needs to be allowed and for how many days, during the lockdown. This will give sufficient time to people if they want to move somewhere or come here and prepare them mentally, ahead of lockdown,” Sheikh informed.

Meanwhile, India reported 1,61,736 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, setting another grim one-day record, taking the overall tally to 1,36,89,453 on Tuesday, according to data issued by the Union Health Ministry.

With this, India has once again taken its spot as the second-worst hit nation in terms of infections after the US.

In the same period, an additional 879 people succumbed to the disease, which increased the total death toll to 1,71,058.

India is now the fourth-worst Covid affected country worldwide after the number of active cases rose to 12,64,698.