Second Covid-19 wave under control, Maharashtra Cabinet told

Shoppers, some in masks, some without, at a Borivli market on July 15. Pic/Satej Shinde

The state Cabinet was officially told on Wednesday that the second wave of COVID-19 has been brought under control with the cooperation of people to the government's measures. State departments concerned with the management of COVID-19 gave a presentation on the status of the pandemic.

The number of active cases has dropped drastically. Nandurbar had a zero count on Wednesday, followed by 10 or less patients in Dhule, Washim, Yavatmal, Bhandara, Wardha and Gondia. Parbhani, Hingoli, Nanded, Amravati, Akola, Buldhana, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli had less than 100 cases.

BMC staff enforce mask-wearing at Marine Drive. Pic/Bipin Kokate

Satara, Sangli, Ahmednagar, Pune, Osmanabad, Solapur and Sindhudurg had more cases, but the situation isn't alarming because the test positivity rate (TPR) there is below 2.44 per cent, the state's average TPR.

The state's recovery rate is 96.87 per cent, with 61,306 active cases on August 17. Till this date, 1,35,255 people have died in the state. Of the 64,01213 total cases so far, 62,01168 have recovered.

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Further cooperation expected

Chief Minister Uddav Thackeray said at an event that COVID-related restrictions have been relaxed keeping the economy in mind.

"Public health is still a top priority and further cooperation is expected during the festival season. The government is trying to inoculate as many people," it said.
Cautious over a third wave, which experts are expecting will hit in the coming months, the state Cabinet had decided last week that the lockdown will be imposed the day the state requires 700 MT of oxygen.

The unlock helped public transport, hospitality and business activities to resume early this month. In some sectors, the benefit is restricted to only fully vaccinated people. Places of worship are shut even as the demand has been raised to unlock them. Theatres, cinema halls, multiplexes, schools (barring some classes) and colleges haven't been reopened yet.