Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray to hold meeting with COVID task force as cases surge

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray (File image)

In view of the rising COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, CM Uddhav Thackeray has called for a meeting of the COVID task force on June 2.

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This comes after the state on June 1 recorded 1,081 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest daily rise after February 24. Maharashtra had reported 1,124 cases on February 24.

Of these, the state’s capital Mumbai added 739 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest daily rise after February 4, but no fatalities, as per the bulletin issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

With the spike in daily infections, the number of active cases has jumped close to 3,000 and the number of beds occupied also crossed the 100-bed mark after a long gap.

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Mumbai’s COVID-19 tally now stands at 10,66,541.

The death toll remained unchanged at 19,566 as no fresh fatality was reported in the last 24 hours.

Also Read: No possibility of 4th COVID-19 wave in current situation: Maharashtra health minister

In another worrying development, the Dharavi slum colony reported 10 fresh COVID-19 cases on June 1, taking the tally of active cases to 37, a civic official said.

Earlier on May 26, Thackeray had appealed to the people of the state not to lower their guard against COVID-19 in view of the rise in cases, and said they should continue to wear face masks to prevent the spread of infection.

Although the number of hospitalisation (on account of coronavirus) is low, everyone should be alert and cautious as the virus has not gone away completely as yet, he had said.

On March 31, Health Minister Rajesh Tope had announced the lifting of mask mandate along with other COVID-19 restrictions in the state from April 2.

“All pandemic-related restrictions including mandatory wearing of mask to be lifted in Maharashtra from April 2,” he had said.

Wearing masks will be voluntary from now, but the practice will be encouraged by the state government, especially in crowded and public places, he had said.