Mumbai : With the new coronavirus variant ‘Omicron’ causing worldwide concern, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will hold a COVID-19 review meeting on Sunday with all Divisional Commissioners and Collectors. Though nothing has been confirmed as of now, specualtions are rife that the government may announce some restrictions to combat the spread of new B.1.1.529 variant, which was first detected in the southern part of Africa. Omicron has been Classified as a ‘Variant of Concern’ due to its reported high transmissibility.
The development comes a day after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) called a meeting of various authorities including police, airport, superintendents of major civic hospitals, executive health officers and members of Maharashtra’s COVID-19 task force in the to discuss precautions to be taken in view of concerns over Omicron.
While there are no direct flights to Mumbai from African countries, but as a precautionary measure Mumbai municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal directed the airport administration to collect information of the last fortnight’s journey of all international arrivals. Jumbo Covid Centers of the BMC should be re-inspected to ensure that they are functioning properly and vaccination should be accelerated, he said.
‘Be Prepared to Tackle New Variant’
Maharashtra Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde yesterday asked Thane district authorities and local civic officials to keep hospital facilities ready and ensure strict adherence among people to COVID-19 protocols in view of the emergence of a new variant.
Shinde, during the meeting held through video conferencing, said the Maharashtra government was prepared to tackle any eventuality, and directed officials to carry out audits of COVID-19 hospitals and other facilities to ensure preparedness against any spike is at its optimum.
The minister said some of the treatment facilities shut due to a fall in case numbers must be kept ready for reopening as soon the need arises, district officials said.
Fresh Guidelines For International Travelers
Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar on Saturday said that passengers from South Africa will be quarantined and their samples will be sent for genome sequencing.
“All travelers from foreign countries shall be governed by directions of the Union government while domestic travelers arriving in the state shall either be fully vaccinated or carry a negative RT-PCR test report valid for 72 hours”, said an official notification.
As to rules for international travelers, state chief secretary Sitaram Kunte said that the government was working on it in collaboration with the Mumbai civic body and Union health ministry. Moreover, the Maharashtra government has also announced penalties for not following COVID Appropriate Behaviour (CAB).
COVID-19 Situation in Maharashtra
Maharashtra on Saturday reported 889 new coronavirus positive cases and 17 related fatalities, taking the tally to 66,33,612 and the death toll to 1,40,908. The state had added 852 cases and 34 deaths in the last 24 hours preceding Friday.
With 738 people being discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, the number of recoveries in Maharashtra went up to 64,80,799, leaving the state with 8,237 active cases.
Maharashtra’s case recovery rate now stands at 97.70 per cent. The fatality rate is 2.12 per cent.
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