Maharashtra on Tuesday, 7 June, reported 1,881 fresh COVID-19 cases, of which 1,242 were from Mumbai alone, according to the State Health Department. This is nearly an 81 percent rise, compared to Monday, when Maharashtra recorded 1,036 fresh COVID-19 cases.
This has been the highest-ever rise in daily coronavirus cases in the state, since the cases started declining after 20 February, when Maharashtra had recorded 1,437 cases. The current active caseload in the state stands at 8,432, of which 5,947 are from Mumbai.
Mumbai logged 506 recoveries and zero deaths in the last 24 hours.
Masks Are ‘Must’ but Not Mandatory
As new COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Maharashtra, the state government has made masks ‘must’ in closed public spaces.
Last week, in a letter to all district and municipal corporation heads, state’s health secretary Dr Pradeep Vyas said, “Mask in closed public spaces like trains, buses, cinemas, auditorium, offices, hospitals, colleges, schools is a must.”
Vyas’ letter came in the backdrop of an alarming letter from the Union Health Secretary to the state government voicing caution over the rising number of COVID-19 cases in six districts of the State.
Directions from Vyas advocated the need to prioritise vaccination in communities that still have vaccine hesitancy. He has also asked the district administration to increase RT-PCR testing.
Earlier last week, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had held a meeting of COVID-19 task force in the wake of rising infections.
Thackeray had called for voluntary-following of COVID-19-appropriate behaviour to avoid restrictions and lockdowns. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar too had stressed that unless people voluntarily follow the norms, mask mandate may return.
(With inputs from The Hindu.)
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