Maharashtra COVID-19 lockdown may be extended till May 15

Mumbai: The existing lockdown-like restrictions in Maharashtra, imposed to stem the COVID-19 spread, are most likely to be extended by 15 days beyond April 30.

State's Health Minister Rajesh Tope has given indications that the Maharashtra government has decided to extend the full lockdown, likely to be another 15 days, till May 15. 

A decision in this regard was taken during the state cabinet meeting on Wednesday but the time duration is yet to be decided. The state government is expected to issue an order to this effect in the next two days.

It may be noted that the strict curbs on the movement of people and a host of other activities are in force in the state since April 14 and were to end on April 30. Essential services have been exempted from the curbs.

Addressing media persons after a Cabinet meeting, Tope said though the COVID-19 situation seems to have stabilised to some extent in the state, all the ministers pitched for extending the ongoing curbs.

Today, the number (of daily cases) is 60,000-plus. There definitely is some stability. We had earlier predicted that (daily) cases may go beyond 70,000. But that has not happened. Now I hope and pray to God that this may be the peak and there will be a decline in the graph daily hereon," he said.

The minister said if people observe COVID-appropriate behaviour by wearing masks and adhering to social distancing norms, the present situation can be brought under control.

But one thing is sure, all the Cabinet members said in unison that the lockdown, which will be effective till April 30, be extended. Now, it definitely will be extended by 15 days, Tope said.

Prohibitory orders, banning the assembly of five or more people at once place, are in force, while non-essential activities are not being allowed. At present, vegetable shops, grocery stores and milk shops are allowed to remain open only between 7 am and 11 am, while home delivery of items is permitted till 8 pm.

Last week, the state government further tightened the curbs by imposing restrictions on travel, attendance in offices and wedding functions. 

Amid all this, Maharashtra on Wednesday reported 63,309 new coronavirus cases and 985 deaths, the state health department said. It took the tally of infections in the state to 44,73,394 and the death toll to 67,214. Mumbai recorded 4,926 new cases and 78 deaths, raising its caseload to 6,40,409 and the death toll to 12,954.

A total of 61,181 patients were discharged from hospitals during the day, taking the number of recoveries to 37,30,729. Of 985 fatalities, 392 occurred in the last 48 hours, 251 in the last week while the rest had taken place earlier but were added to the tally now, an official explained.

Maharashtra has now 6,73,481 active cases. With 2,73,125 new tests, the number of samples examined for coronavirus so far in Maharashtra has gone up to 2,65,27,862.

Currently, 42,03,547 people are in-home quarantine, while 31,159 people are in institutional quarantine. Maharashtra's COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 83.4 per cent, while the fatality rate is 1.5 per cent. The case positivity rate was 16.86 per cent.