Lockdown in Maharashtra? Here's what state health minister has to say

Aurangabad (Maha), Jan 02: The imposition of lockdown in the state was not being discussed at present, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said here on Saturday. Maharashtra on Friday reported 8,067 new coronavirus cases, 50 per cent more than the day before.

Disaster management minister Vijay Wadettiwar had said the day before that the "stage of fresh lockdown" was nearing, but the decision will be taken by the chief minister.

"Decision of lockdown is not under discussion currently. The government will take decision about restrictions by taking into consideration the case positivity rate, hospital bed occupancy and oxygen consumption," Tope told reporters.

"If the daily (medical) oxygen requirement crosses 700 metric tons, then the state will go into lockdown automatically," he said.

Tope was here to attend a function to mark the 39th anniversary of the Mahatma Gandhi Mission educational trust. "Currently we have imposed some restrictions on social gatherings. If it brings the virus spread under control, well and good.

Otherwise we will have to impose stricter restrictions," the health minister added. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray will hold a meeting of top officials in this regard soon, he said.

Finding out the exact figures of Omicron and Delta cases was important in the present situation, and at least one genome sequencing lab was needed in each of the administrative divisions of the state, he added.