Mumbai: The total number of coronavirus cases in Maharashtra shoot up to 63 on Saturday, with 11 new cases detected overnight among several foreign-returned persons, a Health Department official said here.
While one case is from Pune, 10 are detected from Mumbai, including three with no history of foreign travel.
As Maharashtra continued to lead in the number of active cases, Health Minister Rajesh Tope again appealed to people to refrain from stepping out of their homes as ‘isolation’ is the key to battling the COVID-19 virus.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday slapped a-total ban on all non-essential services in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur.
He added that the state has completely banned all flights from worst-hit 12 countries besides exercising extreme precautions for flights from all other nations at the three international airports in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur since the past over a month.
Tope advised people to respond to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call and observe the ‘Janata Curfew’ on Sunday by remaining indoors.
On Tuesday, COVID-19 claimed it’s first victim in the state after a 63-year-old man with a history of travel to Dubai, passed away in Mumbai’s Kasturba Hospital.
However, his wife and son who also tested positive are currently under treatment in the same hospital.
The Maharashtra government has asked all its offices to avoid the use of air conditioning (AC) system as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus.
Don’t use ACs in office: Mumbai’s attempt to curb virus spread
A Government Resolution (GR) signed by Principal Secretary (Health), Pradeep Vyas, on March 18, said that in centralised AC rooms, the virus stays for a longer period.
The GR asked the offices to avoid using air conditioning system or to ensure that it is used only if necessary.
“Instead there should be proper ventilation by keeping doors and windows open,” it said.
In view of the coronavirus outbreak, the Central Railway as well as the Western Railway have suspended the services of their air-conditioned local trains in Mumbai till March end.
Western railway cancels six trains in the wake of coronavirus
Western Railway has cancelled six trains as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
These include 14309, 14310, 22413, 22414, 29019, and 29020.
Meanwhile, people in large numbers were seen waiting at the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus on Saturday to board trains.
“There are so many people on trains that I didn’t get a seat despite having a confirmed ticket. My parents have asked me to return because of the coronavirus,” one passenger said.
Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/coronavirus-mumbai-reports-10-fresh-case-total-count-at-63-in-maharashtra-11584770165234.html
