The Supreme Court on Monday sought a status report from the Centre by Tuesday on the measures taken in view of the large-scale migration of labourers from cities to their native villages amid the coronavirus outbreak and the consequent lockdown across the country. The top court observed that the migration of labourers out of panic and fear is becoming a bigger problem than the coronavirus. It said the court would not create more confusion by issuing directions on measures that the government is already taking to deal with the issue. The number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra climbed to 215 on Monday as 12 more people tested positive for coronavirus in the state, a health official said. Out of the 12 new patients, five are from Pune, three from Mumbai, two from Nagpur, and one each from Kolhapur and Nashik, the official said. So far, eight COVID-19 patients have died in the state.
The government on Sunday asked states to ensure the 21-day lockdown, asking them to help curb the exodus of migrant workers from cities, as the overall number of COVID-19 positive people crossed the 1000-mark. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who declared a 21-day lockdown last week, warned against violation of the restrictions, saying those doing so were "playing with their own lives". He also apologized for the lockdown decision inconveniencing the poor but made it clear that it was the need of the hour. Overall 27 people have died because of the virus. The deaths were reported from various states including Bengal, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Bihar. A death each has been reported from these states. Maharashtra has reported 6 deaths, Madhya Pradesh 2, Karnataka 3, Gujarat 4, and Delhi 2. On Sunday, the number of those infected rose to 1024.
