Maharashtra Lockdown Updates : Why entire Maharashtra faces strict restrictions when Delta Plus variant found only in 8 districts?  

Mumbai : When an average of 25 thousand patients were coming to Maharashtra (Maharashtra Corona Update) every day, then the Unlock (Maharashtra Unlock) campaign was started in the state. Now when on an average about 10 thousand corona cases are coming, then the restrictions have been tightened once again in the state from today (June 28, Monday). Malls and theaters will still remain closed. Shops will remain open only till 4 pm. Gyms, salons, beauty parlors, spas, hotels will also start with 50 percent capacity till 4 pm. The ban is also applicable on tourism and pilgrimage places. A maximum of 50 people have been allowed for marriage ceremonies and a maximum of 20 people for funerals. Films will not be shot outside the studios. Mumbai local will remain closed for general passengers.

In such a situation, protests by traders have started in many places in Maharashtra. In places like Kolhapur, Ichalkaranji, traders are adamant on opening the shop till 11 o’clock and are not ready to listen to the administration. Kolhapur is one of the five districts where there is a strict lockdown, that is, complete closure. Now let’s try to understand why the entire Maharashtra has been kept in the third phase when Delta Plus variants are found only in a few districts? Seeing the reduction in the second wave of Corona, there were hopes that the process of unlocking would be accelerated. There will be an order to keep the shops open till night. Malls will open, theaters will open. But this did not happen. The five phases that were classified on June 4 in Maharashtra were abolished. A strict lockdown was imposed in 31 districts of Maharashtra in the third phase and in 5 districts. Why so?

The Delta Plus variant is being told the first reason for tightening the restrictions and rules even when the corona infection decreases. But there is another important reason. That is the lesson learned from Amaravati during the second wave. In the month of January, there was an illusion of the end of Corona in the whole of Maharashtra. But in February, the corona infection started increasing in Amravati and Achalpur. The government imposed a lockdown only in Amravati. All other districts were kept open. The result was that the second wave that came in India in March started from Maharashtra.

What are the dangers of the third wave now?

In Maharashtra, the threat of a third wave of corona is now being told and in some districts a situation like Amaravati has arisen. It is necessary to understand how this happened. At the beginning of February, that is, before the second wave, the positivity rate in Amravati was around 10 percent. Today the positivity rate in Ratnagiri and Sangli districts is 10 percent. The positivity rate in Satara district is 9.50 percent. The positivity rate in Kolhapur is also 8 percent. The figures of these four districts have become the reason for the tightening of restrictions and rules across Maharashtra.

In the month of February, only Amravati district was reporting more corona cases than Mumbai. Whereas there is no match between Mumbai and Amravati in terms of population and area. Similarly, now more new cases are being reported in Kolhapur and Sangli districts than Mumbai every day. Another thing that is important to understand is that when the second wave started in Amravati, there was a mutation of the corona there. That is, Corona had changed its form.

In the month of February, corona virus with E484Q mutation was found in patients in Amravati district. And as of now, 48 patients of the Delta Plus variant have been found in the country. Of these, 21 have been found in Maharashtra. In such a situation, the government cannot make the same mistake that led to the second wave of Corona, repeating the same mistake and inviting the third wave.

Experts have different opinions about what will happen due to the Delta Plus variant of corona. But it can certainly be said that as it happened in Europe and especially in Britain, the same thing has happened in India after some time. For example, the first wave of corona came to Britain in April 2020. Exactly two months after this, that is, the first wave came in India in May 2020. In September 2020, the first wave of corona in India stopped. Exactly two months after this, the second wave stopped in Britain. In November, the news of corona mutation being confirmed for the first time in the world in Britain. Exactly two months after this, i.e. in the month of February, mutation of corona took place in India too. In January, the second wave, which is said to be the deadliest, came in Britain. Then two months later, i.e. in March, we also suffered the havoc of the second wave, which is considered the deadliest ever in India.

At present, the fourth wave has started in Britain. The reason behind this is being told the Delta Plus variant. Exactly two months after this i.e. in the month of September, claims are being made of the third wave of corona in India too. That is why, even today the corona infection is less, the government is not ready to take any kind of risk. Keeping in mind the possible threats coming in September-October, due to the fears of the third wave, strict rules have been implemented.