Mumbai: Maharashtra hopes to drop all Covid restrictions by March, state health minister Rajesh Tope said as on Monday, the number of fresh Covid cases dropped to double digits in Mumbai -- a first in 22 months. Active cases too, dropped at their lowest in almost two years.
On Monday, the Maximum City reported only 96 fresh cases -- double digits for the first time since April 17, 2020.
Overall, Maharashtra reported 806 fresh Covid cases on Monday --- the lowest in two months. But today, the numbers went up to 1,080. The state also recorded a big jump in fatalities – going up to 47 from just four yesterday.
Mumbai registered 135 cases and two fatalities, while Pune reported 205 infections and one death.
Health Minister Rajesh Tope yesterday expressed hope that by March, the state may be free of almost all other restrictions, but masking will continue.
"The Centre is pushing for relaxation of restrictions and the task force has also agreed to it," Mr Tope told reporters in Jalna.
"We will put up a proposal in the cabinet meeting, requesting for relaxation of restrictions and I hope the Chief Minister takes a positive decision. The ban is expected to be lifted in March next month. However, there is no question of exempting the use of masks, '' he added.
With three massive Covid waves in the last two years, the battle for the health department has been long and extremely complex. But government and private doctors are now cautiously hopeful that the third wave is over.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has, however, warned that the pandemic "has not ended yet".
"The question being asked is for how long we need to keep wearing masks. It is difficult to comment on it at this point. We need to use this time (when cases are declining) to ramp up vaccination," Mr Thackeray was quoted as saying by news agency Press Trust of India.