As the Coronavirus continues to wreak havoc across the globe, the situation in India’s worst-hit state, Maharashtra, is on a complete tailspin and the sorry state of public health services are becoming visible. The state, which is currently ruled by the Shiv Sena, Congress and National Congress Party government, has crossed the 50,000 Covid cases and even during Lockdown 4.0, the numbers are doubling every day. India’s financial capital Mumbai alone is witnessing 1,500-1,800 cases daily. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) hospitals cannot afford more than 1,800 patients per day.
The decision to resume train and flight operations have added more to worries, with 7,000 people coming to Mumbai every day. There are not enough quarantine facilities for the passengers. Amid this confusion, the government is introducing new rules every other day. Earlier, the government allowed individuals to go for tests, but now only those with symptoms like fever and cough will be tested. The government’s decision to open liquor shops backfired when people flocked outside such shops forcing the government to change rules again by allowing online sales of liquor in the state.
Mumbai is also home to the world’s largest slum — Dharavi. Till now, 1,600 Covid cases have been found in this area alone. For migrant labourers and local factory workers, it’s not possible to maintain social distance as they use public toilets and live in 100 sq ft rooms shared between 8 to 10 people. BJP leader Kirit Somaiya said that the government failed to understand how Covid-19 spreads. “It should start to think on how to break the chain of coronavirus. It has stopped door-todoor checking.
If we see the Preeti Sompura Mumbai Sabyasachi Roy Chowdhary New Delhi Correspondent New Delhi This is the initial step in the path towards the country’s finest daily newspaper. Sharpest kid on the block top of the day P2 P2 2 Passports of Maulana Saad’s five closest aides seized 8 Man with the golden stick passes away at 95 4 STAND-UP COMEDY ACCEPTS NEW REALITY, GOES DIGITAL The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday that extreme heat conditions are likely to continue over many parts of north India, including Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, till 28 May.
The temperature is expected to touch 46°C in these areas. The IMD has already declared areas like Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Noida and Faridabad as red zones. Meanwhile, dust, thunderstorms and rain are expected to bring some relief from the heatwave on 29 May. The West Coast, Goa and Mumbai will see the onset of monsoon from 1-5 June. R.K. Jenamani, senior scientist, IMD, said, “Heatwave this year has started very late but we have declared a red alert. We are telling the public not to go outside and take sufficient precautions.
Delhi has been declared a red zone as it has its own issues and it is highly urbanised. Other cities in hilly or coastal areas still get sea breeze which is not the case here (in Delhi). So, 2 pm to 8 pm of the day is very crucial and vulnerable. High temperature between 43°C-44°C is expected to be prevalent till evening.” The national capital experienced the hottest day of the season on Sunday with temperature crossing 46°C. The heatwave which was limited to Agra is now extended up to Bihar and Chhattisgarh.
Meanwhile Rajasthan also experienced 3°C rise in temperature. Telangana and part of western Odisha also fall under the heatwave zone. The highest temperature of 47.4°C was recorded in Churu, Rajasthan. China has decided to evacuate its citizens, including students, tourists and businessmen, from India in the wake of the rising Covid-19 cases in the country. The Chinese Embassy notice has also come at a time when several face-offs have been reported between Indian and Chinese soldiers in the last one month.
In an urgent notice, the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi has informed its citizens residing in India that special flights would be available to fly them back home. The notice says that the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made elaborate plans specially for students and tourists who have been facing difficulty in taking flights to China. Sources at the Embassy said that the notice has nothing to do with escalating border tension between India and China, and it’s Covid-centric.
The notice, published in Mandarin on the Embassy’s website on 25 May, suggests several health precautions for the passengers flying home, while also stressing those who opt to return home will have to pay the fare, to be determined by airlines according to business model, and isolation fees. It also says those returning will have deemed to have consented to bear any risks while returning and accepting various quarantine and epidemic prevention arrangements during the flight and after entry by purchasing the tickets.
The embassy will register the passengers till 27 May. The order says that in order to ensure public health and safety, diagnosed or suspected cases, those who have fever and cough symptoms within the past 14 days, and those who are in close contact with Covid-positive people should not book and take flights. If the body temperature exceeds 37.3 degrees (inclusive) or there are suspected symptoms before boarding, the airline will refuse boarding, the notice says.
As per the notice, strict quarantine Covid-19 ratio in March, Nanded Nashik, Gadhchiroli and Chandrapur district had zero cases but now Covid-19 has spread in these areas too,” he said. Public health services in Mumbai are unable to deal with the massive outbreak and heart-wrenching scenes are coming out every day. Few days back, videos from Sion Hospital and Rajawadi Hospital went viral where dead bodies could be seen lying unattended in the patients’ ward. BMC doesn’t have enough ward boys to take bodies out of hospitals.
The hospital staff even refused to touch the dead bodies. As for private hospitals, they are charging whopping amounts for Covid-19 treatment, with bills ranging from Rs 3-4 lakh. Ultimately, the state government had to pass a government resolution to stop “mafiagiri” in private hospitals. The government, however, rejected such claims. Cabinet Minister and Dharavi MLA Varsha Gaikwad said that the state is trying its best and the government has increased fever clinics in slums.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Udhhav Thackeray in his Sunday speech said that Covid situation might get worse in June and July, on the onset of monsoon. He, however, assured that the government is prepared for it and 14,000 new beds will be added in Mumbai city till 1 June.