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Surge in Maha COVID-19 cases limited to few districts; hospitalisations low: minister

According to Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope, the increase in COVID-19 cases in the state is limited to a few districts, and despite the increase, hospitalizations remain at 2-3%.

June 15, 2022 / 19:59 IST
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Representative image
Representative image

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday said the surge in COVID-19 cases in the state is restricted to certain districts, and despite the spike, hospitalisations remain at 2-3 per cent. Seeking to allay the concerns over the rising COVID-19 graph, Tope said no new variant is detected except Omicron. Seeking to allay the concerns over the rising COVID-19 graph, Tope said no new variant is detected except Omicron. Seeking to allay the concerns over the rising COVID-19 graph,

He, however, informed that Mumbai's case positivity rate has touched 40 per cent and the health department is maintaining vigil. Maharashtra on Wednesday recorded 4,024 new coronavirus cases, a 36 per cent rise over the previous day, and two pandemic-related deaths. Mumbai reported 2,293 infections, the highest daily count since January 23.

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"The spike in cases is restricted to certain districts in Maharashtra. The rise is seen in Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Palghar and Raigad districts. Despite the spike in cases, the percentage of hospitalisation is 2 to 3 per cent," Tope said. The minister appealed to parents and teachers to ensure vaccination of children in the age group of 12 to 18 years.

"As a precaution, testing has been increased," he added.

COVID-19 Vaccine
Frequently Asked Questions

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A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine.

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Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time.
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first published: Jun 15, 2022 07:59 pm

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