Institutional quarantine for COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra may happen soon: Report

File image: A healthcare worker checks the temperature of a resident during a medical campaign against COVID-19 at a slum area in Mumbai, Maharashtra. (Image: Reuters)

The Maharashtra government may explore the option of placing all positive cases under institutional quarantine in the coming days amid resurgence of COVID-19 infections in the state, The Indian Express reported. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray chaired a Cabinet meeting on March 7 wherein the issue of surging positive cases was discussed.
“At present, COVID-19 patients are being asked to isolate at home. But there are reports that family members of patients are not taking adequate preventive measures, which is resulting in family members getting infected,” the newspaper quoted a minister as saying.Follow our LIVE blog for the latest updates of the coronavirus pandemicThe option of institutional quarantine instead of home isolation may be explored in the coming days, depending on the rising positive cases trend, as it is difficult to maintain physical distancing in Mumbai and neighbouring areas, the report cited the minister as saying.
Further, the newspaper report cited sources aware of the discussions as saying that the state government may implement stricter safety norms, including a partial lockdown. However, a decision in this regard may be taken after reviewing the rise in cases over a week.
Action will be taken to ensure that there is no crowding at marriage halls. On March 7, Maharashtra reported 11,141 new COVID-19 cases from the previous 24-hour period. This took the total number of confirmed cases in the state to 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. Having flattened the curve of COVID-19 cases by January-February, the state has witnessed a sharp rise in infections over the last three-four weeks. Parts of the state, such as Amravati district, had to implement a lockdown to curb the spread of the disease. Safety protocols were also tightened in other areas.Click here for Moneycontrol’s full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic