The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Government has on Wednesday issued new guidelines amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the state. According to the new guidelines, Mumbai Metro will resume its services from Thursday, October 15 and the standard operating procedure (SOP) regarding its resumption will be released by the Urban Development Dept.
Along with Mumbai Metro, the government and private libraries in the state will be allowed to function from October 15.
Local weekly bazaars, outside containment zones, will also be permitted to resume from October 15. Now, the shops can remain open from 9 am to 9 pm.
Also, B2B (Business to Business) Exhibition will be permitted to open in areas outside containment zones from October 15, read the guidelines.
However, schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutions will continue to remain closed for students up to October 31. Online distance learning shall continue to be permitted and shall be encouraged, said the guidelines.
Besides, permission will be granted for 50% of teaching and non-teaching staff to be called to the schools at the time for online teaching /tele-counselling and related works, in areas outside the containment zones from October 15. The SOP regarding health and safety precautions for the same will be issued by the School Education Department.
Meanwhile, the state added 8,522 new COVID-19 infections, taking the total tally to 15,43,837 on Tuesday. With 187 deaths, the cumulative toll went up to 40,701.
A total of 15,356 patients were discharged after treatment in the day, taking the count of recoveries to 12,97,252. The state is now left with 2,05,415 active cases.
A total of 23,37,899 people are currently under home quarantine in the state while 25,857 others are placed in institutional quarantine, he added. 77,62,005 samples have been tested so far in the state.
Maharashtra's COVID-19 tally is as follows: Positive cases: 15,43,837, new cases: 8,522, death toll: 40,701 discharged: 12,97,252 active cases: 2,05,415, people tested so far: 77,62,005.
