Maharashtra health minister urges people to wear masks in districts where Covid-19 cases are going up

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Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope has said residents of districts in the state which are reporting an increase in daily coronavirus infections should start taking more caution and wear masks. Maharashtra on Saturday reported 529 new COVID-19 cases, but no virus-related death. The state had recorded 536 new cases and zero deaths on Friday, as per official figures.

The mask mandate was lifted in the state last month. For the first time in Maharashtra, four patients of B.A.4 sub-lineage and three cases of B.A.5 sub-lineage of the highly-transmissible Omicron variant of coronavirus have also been found, the state health department said on Saturday. Tope told reporters here on Saturday that though the COVID-19 cases are increasing, very few deaths on account of the virus are being reported.

"The (people living in) districts which are reporting an increase in the daily COVID-19 cases should start taking extra care, including wearing of masks. The daily cases number is on the rise, but it is still under control," he said. Instructions have been given to health officials to undertake necessary steps to contain the spread of the virus, the minister added.

On Saturday, Mumbai reported 330 new COVID-19 cases, followed by neighbouring Thane city with 38 cases, Pune- 32 and Navi Mumbai-31. Mumbai circle - which includes neighbouring satellite towns and municipal corporations - reported 448 cases of COVID-19, while the Pune circle recorded 64 infections, according to official data.

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