File image of the BMC headquarters in Mumbai, Maharashtra
No additional restrictions are being imposed in Mumbai for now in view of the spike in COVID-19 cases, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal told CNBC-TV18 on March 8.
The BMC Commissioner said that there were no plans of implementing a night curfew in the financial hub.
However, Chahal said that current COVID-19 restrictions will continue to remain in place and urged citizens to follow safety measures such as wearing a face mask in public and maintaining physical distancing.
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The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) has been reporting a significant rise in the number of new COVID-19 cases being reported on a daily basis. Having flattened the curve of COVID-19 cases by January-February, the state has also witnessed a sharp rise in infections over the last three-four weeks.
On March 7, Maharashtra reported 11,141 new COVID-19 cases from the previous 24-hour period. This number was around just 2,500 in the initial weeks of February. The total number of confirmed cases in the state stood at 22.19 lakh. With more than 52,400 deaths, Maharashtra remains the worst-affected state in the country due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
While over 20.68 lakh patients have recovered, around 97,000 cases remain ‘active’ in the state.
The areas under the BMC, formally known as the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), have reported a total of 3.33 lakh confirmed cases so far. The death toll in the city stood at more than 11,500. About 9,300 cases remain 'active'.
Parts of the state, such as the Amravati district, had to implement a lockdown to curb the spread of the disease. Safety protocols were also tightened in other areas.
There were concerns that the state government may need to reimpose a lockdown to curb the spread of the infection.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray chaired a state Cabinet meeting on March 7 where the implementation of stricter safety norms, including a partial lockdown, were reportedly discussed. However, a decision in this regard may be taken after reviewing the rise in cases over a week.
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