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With 11 more people testing positive for coronavirus in Maharashtra, the state now records 63 cases of COVID-19 in total, confirmed state Health Minister Rajesh Tope. While addressing a press conference on Saturday, 21 March, Tope said there are more than 250 beds for isolation and over 7,000 ordinary beds at hospitals across Maharashtra.
The state government has also placed an order to buy 150 ventilators that will be supplied to hospitals that are treating coronavirus patients, reported Mumbai Mirror.
The total number of ventilators in public and private hospitals across Mumbai right now is 1,600, reportedly. Most of these ventilators are already being used and with the number of coronavirus cases increasing in Maharashtra, the need for ventilators too is likely to surge.
With schools, colleges, malls and theatres shut for the last few days, roads in Mumbai witnessed less than usual traffic on Saturday, 21 March. All private and corporate establishments in the city, except those providing essential services, have been ordered to remain shut.
Discouraging people who have been asked to isolate themselves at home from taking public transport, Tope added, “People who have been sent for home quarantine should travel either alone in a taxi to their house or in a group (other people who are also stamped home quarantine) in government-provided facilities. These people should not travel in public transport.”
Stepping up precautionary measures, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation has also restricted vehicular movement in areas of isolation centres and quarantine centres declared by the corporation, reported ANI.
The Maharashtra Commissioner of Labour has requested public and private establishments not to terminate employees in view of COVID-19 outbreak in the state. In a letter, the Commissioner’s office states that “If any worker takes leave, he should be deemed to be on duty without any consequential deduction in wages for this period.
The letter further states:
Class 10 SSC Board examination in Maharashtra will be postponed due the coronavirus scare in the state. The exams were scheduled to begin from Monday, 23 March. Maharashtra school education minister, Varsha Gaikwad, said that decision on the new date for rescheduling exams will be taken after 31 March.
CBSE and ICSE exams have already been postponed.
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