The Maharashtra government on Tuesday decided that home isolation will not be allowed henceforth in 18 districts that are in the Covid-19 red zone. The district administrations have been directed to increase the number of covid care centres in these districts. The decision was taken after a meeting of the state government and district authorities.
In short, if you test positive and are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, you won’t be allowed home isolation anymore.
The list includes: Pune, Satara, Solapur, Mumbai city, Mumbai suburbs, Thane, Sindhudurg, Raigad, Aurangabad, Osmanabad, Beed, Hingoli, Latur, Nanded, Amravati, Akola, Dhule and Nagpur.
However, hours after the announcement, BMC commissioner in a u-turn told CNN-News18 that home isolation for covid patients will be allowed in Mumbai. The civic body removed the term “mandatory” in its latest direction on home isolation in the listed red zone districts and said, “emphasis should be given on institutional isolation, particularly in rural areas, to reduce the spread of covid.”
Districts asked to ramp up measures
“We have asked these districts to increase the bed capacity. We have asked these districts to focus on testing. The focus should be on high-risk contacts of positive patients,” state health minister Rajesh Tope told reporters after the meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar along with other authorities. The decision to restrict home isolation was taken so that the patients receive better treatment at covid care centres and curb infection spread.
The district collectors have been asked to conduct fire and electric audits of government hospitals. “We will provide them with funds after they submit the report,” he added.
For the likely third wave warned to be risk for children, Tope said “we are ramping health infrastructure especially the paediatric centres.”
On the issue of global tenders to procure covid vaccines, the state health minister said, “We’ve got a response from few companies including Pfizer, Sputnik and AstraZeneca…they are yet to give us supply schedules.”
Maharashtra has been reporting over 20,000 cases on a daily basis despite almost lockdown-like curbs in place. The number of cases in the above districts has been adding to the state’s count even though there has been a consistent decline. Sources said that the decision has been taken because people were found blatantly violating home isolation norms.
“The danger of the spread of virus increases if Covid-19 positive persons do not follow protocol,” an official said.
Maharashtra on Sunday reported 26,672 fresh coronavirus positive cases and 594 fatalities, taking the tally of infections to 55,79,897 and the toll to 88,620 while 29,177 patients recovered during the day.
Mission unlock Maharashtra
Maharashtra Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Vijay Wadettiwar on Monday said the government was contemplating easing Covid-19-induced lockdown-like curbs in districts outside the “red zone” after June 1.
Buldhana, Kolhapur, Ratnagiri, Sangli, Yavatmal, Amravati, Sindhdurg, Solapur, Akola, Satara, Washim, Beed, Gadchiroli, Ahmednagar and Osmanabad are the districts where coronavirus cases are still on the rise, the minister said. “There is a demand for easing restrictions where COVID-19 cases have reduced. The government may ease restrictions in districts where cases are coming down. It will take a decision after observing the situation for four to five more days ” he said.
Wadettiwar said suburban trains in Mumbai will not be opened to all for another 15 days at least. “Social distancing is not possible in local trains. They will continue to ply for essential services staffers only,” he said.
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