Maharashtra Covid Task Force member Dr Shashank Joshi said that the third wave has started in Mumbai. However, severe cases are still of Delta variant, and not Omicron, he added.
Talking further about the new variant, first found in South Africa, Joshi said, “See, very few people are being hospitalised. Most people are being treated at home. The disease appears to be mild at the moment. We advise no congregation of people, avoid events such as weddings.”
The Maharashtra government has imposed section 144 in Mumbai from today till January 7, in view of rising Covid cases. The police has prohibited New Year’s celebrations, parties in any closed or open space, including restaurants, hotels, bars, pubs, resorts and clubs.
As the state registered 252 Omicron cases on Wednesday, Joshi, in an interview to CNBC-TV18, said, “Every sample is not being sent for genomic sequencing, which is expensive and time consuming.”
Another member of the Maharashtra Covid Task Force member Dr Rahul Pandit has said that the trend suggests that the third wave has started in clusters in Delhi and Mumbai. Dr Pandit said that the rate at which the cases are doubling indicates that it is triggered by Omicron.
“The rate at which the cases are doubling indicates that these are the characteristics of Omicron. But we are waiting for the genome sequencing reports of the last few days to understand the share of Omicron. Right now, it looks like a combination of Delta and Omicron,” Pandit told India Today TV.
He said that one would have to wait for over ten days to see the rate of hospital in view of the rising cases. On the question of lockdown, Dr Pandit said that decision in this regard would be taken by the Maharashtra government based on the health infrastructure.
“Lockdown will be imposed only if the government sees if there is immense pressure on health infrastructure. Till then, there isn’t the need — provided that people follow the rules and wear masks in public places,” Dr Rahul Pandit added.
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope also concern over the rise in the number of fresh cases, terming it as an “alarming” situation, and said stricter measures will be imposed to stem the infection spread. Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Tope urged people and authorities to exercise caution at a time when the new coronavirus variant Omicron has fuelled worries about a fresh spurt in cases.
He emphasised on strict adherence to Covid-19 protocols and ramping up of vaccination against the infection. The minister said looking at the rising coronavirus numbers, stricter measures will be imposed, but did not provide details on the nature of curbs.
The current curbs have to be observed strictly at parties and other public events, he said. He said in the last 8 to 10 days, the active cases in the state stood in the range of 5,000 to 6,000.
“The situation is alarming in Mumbai. Crowd is uncontrollable at public places. I think we are heading towards lockdown if people don’t follow Covid protocols and don’t understand the seriousness of the rising cases,” cabinet minister Nawab Malik warned.
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