Maha: Health experts put onus on people for spike in cases

As Maharashtra grapples with aspike in coronavirus cases, health experts and governmentofficials are putting the onus for the surge on people notfollowing face mask and social distancing norms.

There is also talk of a fresh lockdown, days afterreopening of public transport, educational institutions andreligious places, as fresh cases from rural areas of the stateand non-slum areas in Mumbai continue to increase.

The surge in COVID-19 cases continued in Maharashtrafor the fifth consecutive day on Saturday, with 6281 newcases, the highest daily addition in 85 days, taking thestate's caseload to 2093913.

Maharashtra's death toll now stands at 51753, with thecase fatality rate at 2.47 per cent, well above the nationalfigure of 1.42 per cent.

Dr Sanjay Oak, who heads the coronavirus task forcecomprising senior specialist doctors constituted on April 13last year, said the latest spike cannot be termed a ''secondwave'' of the coronavirus pandemic.

''People are not following Covid-appropriate behaviour.

They need to restrain themselves,'' he said.

Maharashtra Government's Principal Secretary (Health)Pradeep Vyas blamed people's ''indiscipline and negligence'' forthe spike.

''There is laxity in following protocols. People arenot adhering to Covid-appropriate behaviour,'' he said.

''Authorities have to tell people that coronavirus isstill around and the masses should not be lax and negligent,''Vyas said.

Maharashtra reported 6,112 new cases on Friday, thehighest daily addition in 84 days, taking the caseload to20,87,632. The last time Maharashtra had reported over 6,112cases was on November 27 last year (6,185 cases).

In Mumbai, as the number of positive cases rose to3.17 lakh, with the recent daily increase, BMC officials saidthe surge is being led by non-slum areas.

''Almost 90 per cent of the new cases are coming frombuildings. Most of them are either asymptomatic or mild andprefer to stay at home, said additional municipal commissionerSuresh Kakani.

The spike is due to increased testing and an intensesurveillance process, he said.

Between Monday and Friday, the state added 23,354cases, much higher than the 15,149 cases that were added inthe same duration the previous week.

The doubling rate has dropped from 600-plus days to393 days, another civic official said, attributing the rise toreopening of various services.

''More international travellers are landing in Mumbai;domestic travellers from Kerala are being tested apart fromthose from Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Goa. More serviceshave opened up since February 1, leading to a rise in cases,''he said.

Amravati, Yavatmal and Akola districts of Vidarbha areseeing a sudden spurt, reporting over 1,400 new cases per day.

Kakani said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation(BMC) had no plans for a lockdown in Mumbai for now and wouldinstead focus on increased testing and treatment, and strictimplementation of face masks in public places.

Mumbai recorded 897 new cases on Saturday. The BMC hassealed 1,305 buildings or floors across Mumbai to contain71,838 households. At least 2,749 cases have been found acrossthese houses and can affect 2.75 lakh population in thevicinity, an official said.

BMC has instructed all jumbo Covid centres in the cityto inspect ventilators, para-monitors, housekeeping,medicines, supplies, oxygen, fire equipment and security sothat when patients increase they are ready to admit them atonce, the official said.

There are 11,968 isolation beds in Mumbai, and of themaround 9,000 are vacant across government and privatehospitals.

Dr Subhash Salunkhe, who chairs the CommunicableCommunicable Diseases Prevention and Control TechnicalCommittee, said he noticed a sudden surge in Amravati andAkola in the last few days, adding inter-district travel couldlead to a spike all over the state.

The BMC on Friday penalised 13,592 people for notwearing masks in public places, and collected Rs 27.18 lakh asfine.

Officials have been directed to increase scrutiny andensure people comply with the face mask rule.

In trains and local stations a special squad of 300officials has been formed to check for compliance bycommuters.

The BMC has so far penalised 15.71 lakh people inMumbai and collected Rs 31.7 crore as fine.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)