Lockdown likely to be extended in Mumbai, Pune

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, April 25

The Maharashtra Government wants to extend the lockdown in and around Mumbai and Pune as the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 virus continues to rise.

State Health Minister Rajesh Tope told reporters that the state government wants the lockdown to be extended by at least 15 days from May 3.

“We want to extend the lock down to the whole of Mumbai and Pune,” Tope said.

Officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation have sought extension of lockdown in the country’s financial capital for the whole of May as the number of red zones in Mumbai on Saturday crossed the 1000-mark.

“Officials from the BMC’s health department have warned that the number of Covid-19 cases would go up in a big way if transport services resume in the city from May 3,” a civic official said.

According to information available from the BMC, most of the people who are testing positive for the virus are those already quarantined in the red zones.

“Most of the new cases are coming from the red zones where close contacts of those who have tested positive are quarantined,” says BMC’s Deputy Executive Health Officer Daksha Shah.

Most of the 6,817 COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra are from Mumbai and Pune with 3,096 and 660 cases respectively as on Saturday afternoon.

Thane neighbouring Mumbai has 465 cases.

More than 300 people have died of the virus in Maharashtra.