As Covid cases rise in Mumbai, Aaditya Thackeray urges people not to panic

Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday urged people not to panic, but exercise extreme caution in the wake sharp rise in coronavirus cases in Mumbai and stressed on vaccination and widespread use of face masks.

He said Mumbai's daily COVID-19 case count is expected to cross the 2,000-mark on Wednesday. The city had recorded 1,377 cases on Tuesday, contributing heavily to the statewide tally of 2,172. The state tourism and environment minister was speaking to reporters after a meeting with officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) here. Though hospitalisations and positivity rates were low, the COVID-19 cases have surged since last week, Thackeray said. After reporting daily cases under-500 on most days in the last few months, the city is witnessing a spike in infections. The number of coronavirus cases is expected to cross 2,000 on Wednesday in Mumbai as per test results, he said. "As the cases are rising rapidly, we urge everyone not to panic. However, we all must exercise extreme caution and ensure that we are vaccinated and masked up," said Thackeray, who is also the guardian minister of Mumbai's suburban district. He further said that in the next 48 hours, the BMC will be getting in touch with all educational institutions in the city to plan an organised vaccination drive for children in the age group of 15 to 18 years, who are to be targeted in the expanded inoculation campaign. The authorities are also preparing a list of health workers, frontline staff and senior citizens who are eligible to take the booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine, which should be administered nine months after the second shot, the minister said. Thackeray said all public places in the city will remain shut on December 31.

With the help of flying squads and CCTV footage, strict action will be taken against establishments that violate COVID-19 guidelines during the New Year festivities, he said.

Establishments that flout the norms will be sealed for the next few months, he added.

Speaking about the bed capacity at hospitals, Thackeray said there were 54,000 beds available in the city at present. "We have also asked all the Covid care jumbo centres to be at stand by, at all readiness levels, along with basic facilities to medical infrastructure. Testing and tracing protocols for all that have been operational all through, were reviewed too," Thackeray tweeted later on.

BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar and other health officials were present for the meeting.