A third wave of Covid-19 in Maharashtra could infect 50 people and 10 percent of it — 5 lakh — could be children, while the active cases in the state may reach eight lakh at its peak. These are the probabilities the government has discussed with its experts and task force and in the cabinet meeting, before the government decided to bring back some of the restrictions to the state, partly reversing the unlocking process.
"About five lakh children may be infected, of which 2.5 lakh may need admission in government hospitals. All these possibilities were discussed during this week's cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray," Maharashtra food and drug minister Rajendra Shingne said, as reported by news agency PTI.
Health ministry joint secretary Lav Agarwal on Friday explained that Maharashtra may be at greater risk from the 3rd wave and that's why the state was already alerted. "When a virus replicates, some mutations aid to the virus' additional survival. When there are many cases, the virus may get more scope to get replicated," Lav Agarwal said, adding that waves are less of a concern now. "That we have allowed the waves to aggravate by our negligent behavior is more of a concern," Agarwal said.
Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research Dr. Balram Bhargava on Friday said some districts in Maharashtra still have over 5 percent positivity rate, which is concerning. The districts include Raigad, Sangli, Sindhudurg, Satara, Pune, Ratnagiri, Kohlapur, Palghar, Osamanabad. "This is a good step that the state has brought back restrictions in Maharashtra," Dr. Bhargava said.
The first Delta Plus variant in India was detected from a sample in Maharashtra in April. This proves that the variant has been there for quite some time. Now, the state has the highest number of Delta Plus cases. An 80-year-old woman, detected with Delta Plus, succumbed to Covid on Friday, recording the first death from Delta Plus.