Covid-19 fourth wave: Aditya Thackeray's BIG claim on coronavirus cases

Mumbai: Amid the steep rise n Covid-19 cases in India, Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray said that the state could be witnessing the fourth wave of Covid-19, media reports said. Thackeray said this while addressing media on Sunday as Maharashtra has been seeing a constant rise in coronavirus infection over the past few weeks with Mumbai reporting the maximum number of cases in the state. Maharashtra was one of the worst Covid-affected states during the first and second deadly Delta-triggered wave in India. However, the minister urged the people of Maharashtra not to panic due to the rising infections. Health experts have time and again reiterated that even if India witnesees a fourth Covid wave, it would not be as fatal as the previous wave of infections.

Thackeray also said that masks will soon be made mandatory in the state if there is an uptick in cases.

“We are asking everyone to wear masks when stepping outdoors. We have not made wearing masks mandatory but will make it soon. I also appeal to the public to receive the booster dose of the vaccine on time,” the Maharashtra minister was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI.

 Maharashtra on Thursday reported 5,218 new coronavirus infections and one pandemic-related death, which took the caseload in the state to 79,50,240 and death toll to 1,47,893, a health department report said.

Daily cases jumped by 60 per cent compared to the previous day. On Wednesday, the state had reported 3,260 cases and three deaths. The number of active cases rose to 24,867, including 13,614 in Mumbai, followed by 5,488 cases in neighbouring Thane and 2,443 cases in Pune districts.

Meanwhile, Mumbai witnessed a sharp jump in new COVID-19 cases at 2,479 on Thursday, up by 831 from a day ago and the highest daily count since January 23, while one more patient succumbed to the infection, the city civic body said.