Lockdown showing positive affects in worst affected state of Maharashtra, cases dip after many weeks
The cases in Pune, Mumbai and major parts of the state which were severely affected have now become stable for 3 weeks, projections indicate decline in case count soon as it forms ‘plateau’.
Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray’s imposed lockdown has now started to show results after about 2-3 weeks as situation seems calm instead of the rapid sharp increase in cases unlike projected.
The state’s daily Covid count has remained in the 60,000s for the last two weeks now, the longest period of relative stability since the start of the second wave in the middle of February.
But more significantly, in the last two weeks, the state has also seen its transmission rate decline substantially, from a high of 1.38 in the middle of February to 1.13 now, according to analysis by a team of scientists led by Sitabhra Sinha at the Institute of Mathematical Sciences in Chennai.
Despite the massive rise in cases on a national level, Mumbaikars & Punekars were in for some good news on Saturday as for the first time since April 12, when the city had reported 6,905 cases, the daily rise in infections in the country’s financial capital fell below 7,000 on Saturday.
Earlier this week, the Maharashtra government had announced stricter COVID-19 curbs that came into effect Thursday i.e April 22 onwards.
The government did not take a complete lockdown route but adopted stricter curbs including capped wedding ceremonies and attendance at all private and government (centre and state) offices. The government also regulated inter-city or inter-district travel by buses among other things.
The new restrictions under the government’s `Break- the-Chain’ program will remain effective till 7 am on May 1 but might be extended like the Delhi’s Lockdown curbs.
A slowdown in Maharashtra would have a bearing on India’s growth curve as well, despite the fact that its disproportionate influence on the national numbers has declined in the last three weeks. Until March, Maharashtra was contributing almost 60 per cent of India’s cases.
