Maharashtra lockdown: Health Minister makes BIG statement amid COVID third wave threat, 60 lakh likely to be affected

Amid India reporting more than 40,000 COVID-19 for the second consecutive day and the looming fear of the third wave, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope, on Thursday, made a big statement and said that the third wave of the virus is likely to hit the state in the first week of November. 

The Health Minister said that while around 20 lakh were affected in the first wave followed by 40 lakh in the second, the dreaded next wave may lead to over 60 lakh cases.

Minister Rajesh Tope said, "Of these, nearly 12 percent would require oxygen support during treatment... We are trying to achieve 100 percent vaccination as soon as possible." 

Explaining further, the minister said that the third wave is likely to come during the festival season with Dushhera and Diwali being held during the time. 

Minister Rajesh Tope said that he has discussed the issue with his Kerala counterpart Veena George, whose state recorded 31,000 new cases on Thursday with the Onam celebrations considered the prime reason, but the authorities have stepped up testing.

He revealed that to tackle the upcoming health crisis, the Maharashtra government is in the process of recruiting more doctors, nurses, and other medical-paramedical staffers besides enhancing health care capacities including juveniles.

"By September end, we plan to recruit 7,000 medical staff including 1,200 doctors. We are enhancing the production of liquid medical oxygen, increasing the number of beds in COVID hospitals, and getting 1,000 new ambulances," the Health Minister said.

Meanwhile, India reported 44,658 new COVID-19 infections on Friday, taking the total to 32.6 million, the most in the world after the United States. The death toll rose by 496 to 436,861.