Cannot rule out imposing lockdown if COVID-19 situation prevails: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on April 2 that a lockdown might be imposed in the state again if the present COVID-19 situation prevails.

“I cannot rule out imposing a lockdown if the current COVID-19 situation prevails. People have become complacent,” Thackeray said. He added that stricter COVID-19 control measures may be imposed in the state in the next one or two days if the situation does not improve.

Uddhav Thackeray said that huge crowds have once again started gathering at weddings, parties, and political rallies “despite my appeal to stop for a while”. He reminded how daily COVID-19 case spike in the capital of Mumbai has gone up from 300-400 cases per day to over 8,500 in a day. This has happened in the span of one month. If this continues, the health facilities in the state will not be able to cope, the CM said.

Stating that Maharashtra conducted a maximum number of vaccinations in the country on April 1, Thackeray reiterated the need to increase vaccination and appealed to the Centre to increase the supply of COVID-19 vaccines.

Maharashtra has been reporting the highest number of daily new infections in India. It is among the eight states that account for 84.61 percent of the daily new COVID-19 cases. Maharashtra has already banned the gathering of five or more people from 8 pm to 7 am effective midnight March 27.

All public places including cinema halls, malls, restaurants, gardens beaches will also be shut between during that time. However, home delivery and takeaway from restaurants will be allowed during the period. The number of attendees allowed at weddings and funerals have once again been capped to 50 and 20, respectively.