Considering the possibility of daily Covid cases crossing the 5000-mark in Maharashtra and increasing transmission of the infection during Ashadhi Wari, in which lakhs of pilgrims travel from Pune to Pandharpur, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray directed key officials to remain vigilant. and take measures to prevent major outbreaks.
Maharashtra Surveillance Officer Dr Pradeep Awate told Indian Express That the CM held a meeting with all the District Collectors, Municipal Commissioners and District Superintendents of Police on Friday through video conferencing. “The concern is that Ashadhi Vari may increase transmission as residents of cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Raigad and Palghar, where the Covid weekly positivity rate is high, may attend the Wari. We cannot rule out the possibility of this infection then spreading to areas where there are very few active cases,” Dr Awte said.
Active cases in the state have reached 25,000 as compared to 626 a few months back. Around 4,205 new cases were detected in the state on Friday, while the case fatality rate stood at 1.85 per cent.
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The Chief Minister said during the meeting that even though the use of masks is not mandatory in the state, the participants of Ashadhi Vaari and even others should wear masks regularly.
Meanwhile, as per the latest report of National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur, one patient of BA.5 variant has emerged from the district. The patient is a 27-year-old fully vaccinated female who has tested positive for COVID-19 on June 19. “Initially, she was mildly symptomatic. Presently, he is asymptomatic, stable and in home isolation,” Dr Awte said.
With this, the total number of BA.4 and BA.5 type cases detected in the state has gone up to 26. Pune has reported 15 cases so far, followed by Mumbai (5), Nagpur (4) and Thane (2).