Two COVID 19 patients in Maharashtra, the worst coronavirus affected Indian State, are on a ventilator in a Mumbai hospital and the total number of positive cases rose to 49 by Thursday said health minister Rajesh Tope.
The minister added that a 22-year-old woman from Mumbai who had been to London recently and a 51-year-old man from Ahmednagar with travel history of Dubai were the latest additions to the positive cases in the State.
Incidents of people jumping quarantine continue to be reported from the State with the police deboarding six Vadodara bound passengers from Saurashtra Express. Four Gujarat bound passengers who had escaped from their quarantine centre were deboarded from another train on Wednesday.
In other important announcements, Western Railway announced the suspension of local AC train services from Friday till further orders and said the air-conditioned coaches will be replaced with normal coaches. Air-conditioned environment is believed to be conducive for the spread of the infection.
The world-renowned Mumbai Dabbawallahs, too, announced the suspension of their services until March 3 and the famous offshore shrine of Haji Ali announced shutting down of its doors to the pilgrims.
All retail shops in the Dadar area in Mumbai were closed on Friday and the administration announced they will function on alternate days in order to combat threat of community spreading.
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray asked residents to stay at home amid coronavirus outbreak and helped the government by following its instructions.
He said that it was important to avoid a complete shutdown.
“This is a war against the virus which needs to be fought together,” Uddhav said.
Thackeray also asked those coming from abroad to strictly follow home quarantine instructions so that they don’t infect others directly or indirectly.
