Maharashtra: Statewide Curfew For 15 Days From Wednesday As Covid-19 Cases Surge, Section 144 Imposed | Details Here

After the peak of 63,294 cases recorded on Sunday, the state reported 51,751 new cases on Monday, taking state's total caseload to 34,58,996.

Mumbai-Pune Expressway wears a deserted look during weekend lockdown. (Image: PTI)

Lockdown in Maharashtra: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday announced that the state won't go under lockdown but strict restrictions will be imposed from 8pm on Wednesday across the state to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

 Uddhav Thackeray addressed the people of the state through social media to announce the new SOPs and guidelines.

• Public transport only for essential travel
• Avoid unnnecessary travel
• Section 144 across Maharashtra for 15 days, essential services are expemted
• Local train and bus services for essential services only, petrol pumps, financial institutions associated with SEBI and construction work to continue.
• Let's not politicise this issue and fight this disease together
• Restaurants will only offer take away and home delivery services.
• Cargo and e-commerce activities to remain open
• Agriculture and poultry related activites to function normally
• Registered hawkers to be given financial assitance

While making the announcement, Thackeray also said that "we thought we had won the war against Corona but the fight is still on." 

The credit has to be given to doctors and people for reduction in cases in December 2020, he said.

Thackeray said we could postpone board exams but this exam can't be deferred. 

The chief minister stressed on the fact that the healthcare infrastructure has been overburdened. 

Thackeray said he has requested the prime minister oxygen cyclinders in the state and if the army can transport it through flights here.  "Remdesivir demand has all of a sudden increased. Now, manufacturers will take time to increase production. Industries have already started sending us oxygen. But we will need permission from the Centre to get oxygen from other States." 

60,212 fresh COVID19 cases have been reported in the State today.

The Maharashtra government on Monday postponed the state board exams of Classes 10 and 12 (to May end and June respectively), which were scheduled to be held later this month, in view of a steep rise in COVID-19 cases in the state.

Last week, Thackeray held an all-party meeting to discuss the Covid-19 situation in Maharashtra and hinted at the imposition of an extended lockdown in the state to curb the surge in cases.

After the peak of 63,294 cases recorded on Sunday, the state reported 51,751 new cases on Monday, taking state's total caseload to 34,58,996.

Mumbai alone added 6,893 new infections on Monday, down from 9,986 a day earlier, taking its tally to 527,391 till date, 8 days after notching the highest daily infections of 11,206 on April 4, at the end of the first 'weekend lockdown'.

However, recovery rate in Maharashtra improved from 81.65 per cent on Sunday to 81.93 per cent on Monday, while the death rate got better from 1.07 per cent a day earlier to 1.68 per cent, and the number of active cases decreased to 564,746 - for the first time in over a week.

Mumbai is currently witnessing lockdown on weekends along with night curfew on weekdays. Mumbai reportedly recored 7,898 fresh corona cases today which included 26 deaths. 11,263 recovered.

The official figures show Maharashtra is among the worst-affected states in the second wave of Covid.