COVID-19 third wave: Situation under control, Maha, BMC tell Bombay HC

Mumbai, Jan 28: The Maharashtra government and the BMC on Friday assured the Bombay High Court the situation related to the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic was under control and that authorities were fully geared to meet any eventuality.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and M S Karnik was hearing a public interest litigation seeking judicious distribution of the state's resources to tackle the pandemic.

Advocate Purnima Kantharia, appearing for the government, and senior counsel Anil Sakhare, appearing for the BMC, on Friday told the court the situation was under control and authorities were prepared to handle the effects of the Omicron variant of the virus if required in future.

The court, while accepting the statements, in its order said, "The state government as well as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation submit that the situation is 100 per cent under control and that the government is fully geared to meet any eventuality in future with regard to the spread of the omicron variant".

Chief Justice Datta noted that, as per experts, the Omicron variant was not as lethal as the Delta variant of the virus but was spreading quicker. Sakhare told the court there was a hike in the number of COVID-19 cases in the first week of this month in Mumbai but the numbers were now decreasing.

“As on date, there is no pressure on the hospitals and there is sufficient machinery in place. There is enough oxygen stock available and also medicines,” he said. The court posted the matter for further hearing on February 4.