Expressing concern over Maharashtra’s relentlessly soaring COVID-19 cases, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has written to the State government, ticking-off the administration for inadequate contact-tracing efforts while urging that it must focus on strict and effective containment strategies and plan for a worst-case scenario.

In a letter to Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte based on a Central team report, Mr. Bhushan, while cautioning that the State was in the throes of “a second wave” of the pandemic, has stated that the measures like weekend lockdowns and night curfews (currently being deployed by the State government), had a “very limited impact on containing or suppressing the transmission.”

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“There is a very limited active effort to track, test, isolate cases and quarantine contacts. There is no adherence to COVID-19 appropriate behaviour among people both in rural and urban areas,” wrote the Union Health Secretary in the letter.

Ramping up vaccination

He also pointed out that eight of the top 10 districts of India in terms of active COVID-19 infections were in Maharashtra and the only way to rein in the contagion was to ramp up the pace of vaccination, especially in those districts witnessing a steep case surge.

“Hence, the administration should focus on a strict and effective containment strategy…For every positive case, at least 20 to 30 close contacts [including family contacts, social contacts’ workplace contacts, and other casual contacts] need to be promptly traced and tracked. While the health infrastructure is adequate as of now, the State should plan for a worse-case scenario with sufficient lead time,” Mr. Bhushan wrote.

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Observing that the number of active cases in the State had risen by an incredible 171.5% over the last one month, Mr. Bhushan said that the cases had shot up from 36,917 on February 11 to 1,00,240 on March 11.

He further said that the Central team had inferred that the administrative mechanism in the State should be “re-instated to the level witnessed in August -September last year to contain/suppress the COVID-19 transmission.”

Since the last fortnight, Maharashtra has been reporting a daily jump of more than 10,000 cases, which has increased to 15,000 in the past few days. The State’s active case tally has surged past the 1.30-lakh mark.

Speculation about lockdown

Amid speculation about a second, more stringent and imminent lockdown, State Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Monday had clarified that the pandemic situation did not warrant a lockdown as yet despite the soaring cases.

The State government on Monday had announced a series of restrictions, mandating cinema halls, hotels, restaurants and offices (except those related to health and essential services) to function only at 50% capacity till March 31 while prohibiting all social, cultural and religious gatherings.

Acting tough on offenders, the notification warned that violation of norms would result in the closure of the errant establishment.

The government circular further said that as far as possible, employees should be asked to work from home.

Pune, Nagpur, Nashik and Mumbai city continue to remain the worst-hit in the State, with Pune and Nagpur districts recording daily surges of more than 2,000 cases each.