Maharashtra considers lockdown extension in Mumbai, Pune and other hotspots until May 31

Mumbai, May 15: The Maharashtra government likely to extend the lockdown in Mumbai, Pune and other COVID-19 hotspots until May 31.

On Thursday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray discussed extending the lockdown in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and cities like Pune, Malegaon and Aurangabad till May 31.

The Chief Minister has also directed the state administration to submit a report on what activities can be allowed outside containment zones in cities that fall in the red zone.

The state government is yet to issue any official announcement.

According to reports, a consensus was reached on that the lockdown has to be extended in certain parts of the State, especially in red zones such as the Mumbai and Pune metropolitan regions, Malegaon and Solapur.

"In the rest of the state, the guidelines of the Centre will be implemented when they are announced before the lockdown 3.0 ends on May 17," a state government official was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

Maharashtra on Thursday reported 1,602 fresh COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day spike so far, taking the state's overall count to 27,524, according to state health department data.

With 44 deaths registered today, the death toll in Maharashtra due to the contagious Coronavirus disease has now breached the 1,000-mark and stands at 1,019.

Mumbai recorded a new high of 991 cases, state health officials said.

Of the total deaths, 25 were recorded only in Mumbai, taking up the city's toll from Wednesday's 596 to 621 and the number of COVID-19 positive patients in the city shot up by a new high of 991 to touch 16,738.

Mumbai's Dharavi slum alone continued to be a major hotspot and a headache for the health authorities, notching 33 new cases, taking the total number of patients to 1,061, and 49 deaths till now.

Besides Mumbai, there were 12 deaths in Navi Mumbai (Thane), five deaths in Pune, and two Aurangabad.

They comprised 31 men and 13 women, and nearly 77 per cent of them suffered from other serious ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, heart problems and asthma.

As many as 1,061 personnel of Maharashtra Police including 112 police officers have been tested positive for COVID-19 so far. Out of the total infected police personnel, 174 have been cured while 9 others lost their lives.

The nationwide shutdown enforced on March 24 has been extended twice, on April 14 and May 4. The third phase will end on May 17.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation on Tuesday, had said a fourth phase of the lockdown will be implemented after May 17, but the rules for it will be very different with many more relaxations likely.