Even though the daily coronavirus case count reported ranges between 2,000 and 3,000 and daily death tally recorded is below 100, the Maharashtra government, on Friday, extended the lockdown under MissionBeginAgain till February 28, 2021. The order has been issued by Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar.
However, the government has been silent on the reopening of swimming pools for use by all though it was permitted by the Ministry of Home Affairs in its notification. Similarly, there has been no mention of allowing all types of exhibition halls to be opened in the state. The government order is also silent on allowing cinema halls and theatres, which have already been permitted up to 50% of seating capacity, to operate at a higher seating capacity.
Kumar said, “The state government is satisfied that Maharashtra is threatened with the spread of COVID-19. Therefore, to take certain emergency measures to prevent and contain the spread of virus, the government in exercise of the power conferred under section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, read with all other enabling provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, it is expedient to extend the lockdown in the entire state further till February 28, 2021.” He added that the activities already allowed and permitted from time to time shall be continued and all earlier orders shall be aligned with this order, which shall remain in force up to February 28, 2021.
The government has urged citizens that there is need to maintain caution to fully overcome the pandemic and to strictly follow the prescribed containment strategy focussed on surveillance and containment.
On Friday, new 2,771 positive cases and 56 deaths were reported in the state with a fatality rate of 2.52%.
