The Maharashtra government late on Wednesday night announced a series of restrictions—titled “Break the Chain”—even as the state reported 67,468 new Covid-19 cases and 568 deaths in the last 24 hours, the state health department informed on Wednesday.
The new curbs came on a day when in a tragedy, 24 people died in a Nashik hospital due to disruptions in the oxygen supply triggered by a leak in a tanker. Nashik itself reported 6,703 cases and 29 Covid-19 deaths.
Under the new rules and restrictions announced on Wednesday night, attendance at all private and government (Centre and state) offices not directly connected to the management of the Covid-19 pandemic will be capped at 15 per cent. Attendance at weddings and marriage ceremonies has been capped at 25. These ceremonies may be conducted “only as a single event in a single hall not extending beyond 2 hours”.
Violation of this rule, the state government’s order said, would incur a fine of Rs 50,000.
Offices providing essential services should work at the “lowest required capacity”, but can have no more than 50 per cent of their workforce present at any given time. Attendance of people delivering these services should be similarly minimised but this can go up to 100 per cent, if needed.
With the cumulative positivity rate 16.36 per cent, the total cases of Covid-19 in Maharashtra have mounted to 40,27,827. Out of 2,46,14,480 samples, 40,27,827 have tested positive (16.36 per cent) for Covid-19 until today, according to the state government’s data. According to the official data, there are 6,95,747 active cases of Covid-19 in Maharashtra, while as many as 54,985 patients recovered in the last 24 hours, taking total recoveries to 32,68,449. The recovery rate in the state is 81.15 per cent.
Out of 67,468 fresh Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra, Mumbai logged 7,684 cases and 62 deaths in the last 24 hours. There are 84,743 active Covid-19 cases in the state capital. Pune remains the worst-affected city with 10,852 cases and 35 deaths. Nagpur district reported 7,229 new Covid-19 cases, 7,266 recoveries and 98 deaths in the last 24 hours and has 71,557 active cases of the infection.
Reeling under a fresh Covid-19 wave, the state government announced the fresh curbs. Private buses can run with a maximum of 50 per cent of seated capacity, with no standing travellers. Inter-city or inter-district travel by buses has also been regulated, with service operators directed to make no more than two stops in a city. Service operators violating these guidelines can be fined up to Rs 10,000, with repeated defaults leading to cancellation of license till the pandemic ends.
Use of private vehicles, excluding buses, will only be allowed for essential services or valid reasons, like medical emergencies, with driver plus 50 per cent of seating capacity. Private vehicles will not be allowed to travel inter-city or inter-district unless it is an emergency or is required for essential services. Violation of this rule will incur a fine of Rs 10,000.
Use of public transport has been limited to government (state, centre or local) personnel, all medical personnel (including doctors, paramedics and lab techs), and any person needing medical treatment or any specially-abled person and their attendant. All of these categories of people must also have a valid ID. State-run buses are also limited to 50 per cent capacity, with the no-standing rule to be enforced.
For both state-run and private buses all passengers will get hand-stamps–to be done by the bus operator–indicating a 14-day home quarantine period, and could face mandatory and random rapid antigen tests when they deboard.
WITH AGENCY INPUTS