Maharashtra's COVID-19 situation matter of concern: Harsh Vardhan
Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday (May 6) said that the worsening COVID-19 situation in Maharasthra is a cause of concern and he will hold a meeting with the Maharashtra Chief Minister to discuss, as 34 out of its 36 districts are affected by the infection
Taking cognisance of the fact that 34 of the 36 districts in Maharashtra have been hit by the coronavirus infection, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday (May 6) said that the worsening COVID-19 situation in the country’s second largest state is a cause for concern and that he will hold a meeting with the state Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to discuss ways and means to deal with it.
“The situation in Maharashtra is certainly a matter of concern right now as 34 out of 36 districts are affected by COVID-19. I will hold a meeting with the Chief Minister as well to discuss further course of action to control spread of the virus in the state,” the Minister said at a press conference.
“Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nagpur, Nashik, Aurangabad, Solapur, among the 34 districts are a cause of concern for us,” he added.
The Union Health Minister further said the Centre’s aim is to ensure that no new cases came up and assured all help to the state in the coming days.
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“There are 1,026 containment zones in Maharashtra right now, as per my knowledge. The team from Centre and doctors are stationed there and we will give further help to Maharashtra as per the need,” the Minister said.
He also directed experts from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Nagpur to engage in local surveillance.
“Even though rapid response teams of all medical colleges are active at the ground level, I would ask AIIMS, Nagpur, to also proactively assist the state government in managing the disease in the district since they are located in the district,” he added.
He also said that the government is in constant touch with all district magistrates who are managing the situation on the ground.
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According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Maharashtra had 15,525 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday morning, including 617 deaths. However, 2,819 patients have been cured and discharged upon receiving treatment for the disease.