Mumbai had registered 15,166 cases yesterday (File)
Mumbai:
The decision on the lockdown in Mumbai will be taken by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said today as Mumbai crossed 20,000 fresh Covid cases – the limit of more restrictions. The total number of fresh cases – 20,181 – is 33 per cent higher than yesterday’s figures. Four related deaths were also recorded. The financial capital had registered 15,166 cases yesterday.
Of the fresh cases reported in the last 24 hours, 85 per cent showed no symptoms. But 1,170 Kovid patients are hospitalized and 106 are on oxygen support.
Sources said the issue of lockdown was discussed in the meeting held today between Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar, health minister, health secretary and other officials, but no call was made.
When asked whether the state government would extend the lockdown, Mr Tope said, “The government is studying Mumbai’s numbers very carefully and the final decision will be taken by the chief minister.”
The health department had earlier said restrictions such as lockdown, or lockdown, would be considered when the demand for medical oxygen crossed 800 metric tonnes per day, or occupied more than 40 per cent of hospital beds for Covid patients. goes. , The Brihanmumbai Corporation had said it would be considered if the daily spike in cases crosses 20,000.
A major area of concern now is the increasing number of doctors and healthcare workers testing positive in the city.
More than 150 doctors at the city’s King Edward Memorial (KEM) hospital have contracted the virus, as have 80 at Sion Hospital and almost as many in others.
The Resident Doctors’ Association has said that over 260 doctors across Maharashtra have tested positive.
Besides this, 60 employees of the city’s public transport service also tested positive, news agency ANI reported.
Doctors told NDTV that patients who get infected in this wave of the epidemic are showing less severe symptoms. But the number of people who test positive and need hospitalization if infected with Omicron is enough to overwhelm the health infrastructure.
In view of the sharp spike, the state government today said it will not give priority to genome sequencing of community samples as the exercise is failing to keep pace with the rising number of cases.
The health department had expected the current surge in Covid cases by mid-February and mid-March.
Additional Chief Secretary Health Dr Pradeep Vyas has predicted an active caseload of around two lakh by the third week of January.
Maharashtra today reported a highly worrying 36,265 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours – an increase of 36.65 per cent over yesterday.