Uddhav Thackeray hints at 'restricted lockdown' as Maharashtra reports biggest 1-day spike in COVID cases in 5 months

Mumbai | Jagran News Desk: Day after the state recorded its highest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases in the last five months, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday hinted that his government might reimpose a lockdown in some places to break the chain of the deadly infection.

While taking his first vaccine jab at the JJ Hospital in Mumbai, Thackeray, however, said that the "situation is not out of control" and appealed to eligible citizens to get inoculated against the virus as soon as possible.

"In a few days, we may have to lockdown some places. We may have to start from scratch but still the situation has not gone out of control. At some places, stringent lockdown will be imposed, decision soon," he said, as reported by Hindustan Times.

"There is no need to have any fear or apprehension about the vaccines. I appeal to whoever is eligible to get vaccinated. We are speeding up vaccination," he added.

On Wednesday, Maharashtra, which is the worst affected state in India, reported its biggest single-day spike in coronavirus cases in the last five months, causing panic among the officials.

Looking at the alarming spike in coronavirus cases, several district administrations -- including Nagpur and Jalgaon -- in Maharashtra have reimposed restrictions while the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is considering reimposing a lockdown in Mumbai.

6 states accounts for 85.91 pc of new coronavirus cases

The Union Health Ministry, meanwhile, on Thursday said that six states including Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu cumulatively account for 85.91 per cent of the new coronavirus cases reported in the past 24 hours.

It said that Maharashtra has reported the highest number of fresh cases at 13,659 (almost 60 per cent of the number of cases reported in the country), followed by Kerala (2,475) and Punjab (1,393).

Showing the change in the number of active cases for the states in the 24-hour period, the health ministry said Kerala reported the maximum decline in the figure while Maharashtra has shown the maximum increase.