No new lockdown in Maharashtra: State health minister appeals to celebrate festivals responsibly

New Delhi: With the second wave of COVID-19 receding, the Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Friday (September 3, 2021) assured the citizens that no new lockdown will be imposed in the state in the coming days but all residents should continue to follow safety protocols. 

“There is no possibility of fresh lockdown in the near future. I appeal people to avoid crowding while celebrating the Ganesh festival. The celebration should be simple,” he told reporters. 

“The government has been issuing various guidelines and they should be followed all the time,” he added. 

This development comes after the Centre expressed concern over the rising number of COVID-19 infections in Maharashtra, leading to the state Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar urging the citizens not to put the state government in a position where it has to shut everything in the event of a third wave. 

"Unfortunately, in rural areas, some people are becoming lax. They are not scared of coronavirus. They don't use masks, don't follow physical distancing, and they have assumed that everything (Covid-19 pandemic) is over. This has led to rise in infections," Pawar said.

"All this should stop somewhere. People should not put the state government and administrations in a position where they have to close everything if the third wave hits," he further appealed.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra on Friday, reported 4,313 new COVID-19 cases and 92 deaths, taking its cumulative caseload to 64,77,987 and death toll to 1,37,643, the state health department said.

As many as 4,360 patients recovered from the infection on Friday, taking the total of recovered patients to 62,86,345 in the state. There are now 50,466 active coronavirus cases in Maharashtra currently. Additionally, the state's case recovery rate stands at 97.04 percent. 

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