COVID-19 third wave is not coming, but is already here: Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar warns ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi

Mumbai Mayor's warning comes a day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that the third wave of COVID-19 is at the doorsteps.

A crowded weekly market amid COVID-19 pandemic at Kandivali in Mumbai (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: In a stern warning ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi, Mumbai Mayor Kishor Pednekar on Tuesday (September 7, 2021) said that the third wave of COVID-19 is not coming, 'but is already here'. 

Speaking to the reporters, Pednekar also said that she is not leaving her 'Bappa' (Lord Ganesh) and is going to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi at her home only. She also urged people to follow 'Mera Ghar, Mera Bappa' (My house, my lord) for the upcoming Ganesh Utsav on September 10. 

#WATCH | "Third-wave of COVID19 is not coming, it is here," says Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar pic.twitter.com/wCxcSb1Dxb — ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2021

2,570 new COVID-19 cases in six days in Mumbai 

In the first six days of September, Mumbai has recorded over 28 per cent of the total COVID-19 cases that it had reported during the entire last month. 

The data shows that Mumbai reported 2,570 COVID-19 infections in the last six days of September, which comes to 28.9 per cent of the total 9,147 cases recorded in the entire month of August. Besides, the city also recorded 21 fatalities in the last six days, while it had seen 157 deaths due to COVID-19 during the entire last month.

With the surge in daily cases, the active coronavirus cases, which had dipped to 2,700, has now increased to 3,771 on Monday.

Mumbai on Monday witnessed 379 new coronavirus cases and five fatalities, taking the total tally of infections to 7,46,725 and the death toll to 15,998. 

COVID-19 third wave at doorsteps

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had also warned on Monday that the third wave of COVID-19 is at the doorsteps and that everyone can celebrate the festivals later. The Shiv Sena leader also appealed to political parties to immediately stop agitations, meetings and other programmes to avoid crowding.

"We can celebrate festivals later. Let us prioritise the lives and health of our citizens. The situation can go out of hand in view of the spike in daily cases," the Maharashtra CM had said in a statement.

Thackeray said that the upcoming festive days were crucial and challenging and that the onus is on political parties to ensure things do not go out of control.

On a good note, Maharashtra saw its lowest daily one-day rise since February 15 and registered 3,626 new coronavirus cases on Monday. The state also recorded 37 fresh fatalities and has so far seen 64,89,800 infections and 1,37,811 deaths.

(With agency inputs)