Strict lockdown will be enforced in parts of Maharashtra: CM Uddhav Thackeray amid COVID-19 case surge

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was speaking after receiving the first dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 at the government-run J J Hospital in Mumbai. He said the government has been requesting people to wear a mask, maintain physical distance and avoid moving out unnecessarily.

Mumbai: As Maharashtra witnesses an alarming spike in COVID-19 cases the state government is taking essential measure to curb the spread of coronavirus. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday (March 11) said strict lockdown measures will be enforced in some parts of the state to contain the spread of COVID-19.

CM Uddhav Thackeray who is 60, was speaking after receiving the first dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 at the government-run J J Hospital here.

Maharashtra on Wednesday (March 10) recorded 13,659 new coronavirus cases, the highest one-day spike this year, which took the state's caseload to 22,52,057.

The state has so far reported 52,610 deaths due to the disease, as per official data.

The state government has imposed a night curfew in Kalyan-Dombivali and Nandurbar. Nagpur will have a complete lockdown from March 15 to March 21. The COVID-19 daily case curve has seen a significant spike and it has alarmed the authorities. The government mentioned that it will take harsh actions if the situation gets worse. 

"Some areas of Maharashtra will witness strict lockdown measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus infection. The government is going to hold a special meeting with officials before coming out with the lockdown measures," CM Uddhav Thackeray said.

He said the government has been requesting people to wear a mask, maintain physical distance and avoid moving out unnecessarily.

Earlier in the day, minister Nitin Raut announced a "strict lockdown" in the Nagpur Police Commissionerate limits from March 15 to 21. Nitin Raut is the guardian minister of Nagpur. Last month, a lockdown was enforced in Amravati, while certain restrictions were imposed in some other districts of the Amravati division.

Meanwhile, the chief minister took the first shot of the 'Covaxin' vaccine at the J J Hospital here on Thursday (March 18), state Director of Medical Education and Research Dr T P Lahane said.
His wife Rashmi Thackeray and mother-in-law also received the vaccine doses.

The CM was accompanied by his son and state cabinet minister Aaditya Thackeray. Asked about more COVID-19 cases being found in apartments and multi-storey buildings than in slums in Mumbai, Lahane said though the number of cases is going up, it has still not reached an alarming level.

"If people still continue to take advantage of the relaxation in curbs, then the state will have to revert to strict lockdown measures, including restrictions on movement," he said and appealed to people to follow all precautions.

Janata Curfew will be implemented in the Dhule, Jalgaon districts of Maharashtra. "Janta Curfew' to be imposed from 11th March, 8 pm till 15th March, 8 am in the Municipal corporation limits in Jalgaon," said District Magistrate of Jalgaon Abhijit Raut. Schools, colleges and coaching classes in Nashik, Malegaon, Niphad and Nandgaon will remain closed from March 10 till further orders, though classes for standards X and XII will continue due to upcoming board exams, the order said.