Tag: Uddhav Thackeray

  • Uddhav defends curbs in Maharashtra; state to undertake genome sequencing amid vaccine shortage

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday demanded that every state be allowed to developits own app for the registration of people for COVID- 19 vaccination.

    He also defended the existing lockdown-like restrictions in Maharashtra, saying in their absence, active cases would have touched 10 lakh.

    In a televised address on the eve of the state’s foundation day, he said the vaccination drive for those in the 18-44 age group will start from Saturday.

    Currently, people have to register to receive a COVID-19 vaccine jab through the Co-WIN app of the Centre.

    “All states should be allowed to develop their own apps for registration. The state apps can be linked to the main Co-WIN app and this will help streamline the registration process and stop crowding at vaccination centres,” Thackeray said.

    He has made this demand in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he added.

    “The Co-WIN app had crashed yesterday (as registration for those above 18 began),” Thackeray pointed out.

    The state government was all geared up to vaccinate the 18-44 years age group, which numbers around six crore, from Saturday, he said.

    “We will need 12 crore doses for this category and we are ready to make one-time payment by cheque to procure them. Today we have got three lakh doses,” the chief minister said.

    “We are talking to the Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech and also the manufacturer of Russian vaccine Sputnik. We have been told by the Centre that we will get 18 lakh vaccines in Mayfor the 18-44 group out of which three lakh doses have been received,” he said.

    ALSO READ | COVID-19 surge: Maharashtra added as many cases in April as in 196 days

    Vaccine doses for the 18-44 age group will be administered as per availability and people should not crowd vaccination centres, he said.

    “Register and then go to take the vaccine, otherwise I fear the centres may become COVID-spreaders,” he said.

    His government had prepared for a second wave of the pandemic but did not realise it would be so ferocious, Thackeray said.

    “We are gearing up to tackle a third wave which is expected in June-July,” he said.

    So far 1.58 crore persons in the above-45 years age group have been vaccinated, he said.

    The chief minister lamented that though Maharashtra leads in the number of tests and vaccination and has the best health infrastructure, it also has the highest number of positive cases.

    He defended the latest lockdown-like curbs, saying they helped stabilise the number of cases.

    “If not for the curbs, the number of active cases would have been nine to ten lakh. Due to the curbs, the active cases have stabilised at 6.5 lakh,” Thackeray said.

    A Rs 5,500 crore package to provide relief to the poor sections of society in view of the curbs will be implemented, the CM said.

    “Complete lockdown may be necessary but I don’t think that situation will arise,” he said.

    The government was upgrading oxygen plants and procuring medicine stocks to tackle a third wave, he said.

    Mumbai reported 89 deaths due to coronavirus on Friday, the highest one-day toll since June 30 last year, which pushed its fatality count to 13,161, the data released by the civic body said.

    With the addition of 3,925 new COVID-19 cases during the day, the city’s infection tally rose to 6,48,624.

    This is for the second time this month, the city has reported less than 4,000 cases in a day.

    On April 26, it had recorded 3,876 cases.

    But the number of deaths has been on the rise in the city over the last few days and Friday’s toll is the highest since June 30 last year, when it had recorded 93 fatalities.

    ALSO READ | ‘Journalists be given priority in COVID-19 vaccination’: Editors Guild

    On Thursday, Mumbai had reported 4,192 cases and 82 deaths.

    With 43,525 tests, the city’s overall test count increased to 54,23,998, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said in its update.

    As many as 6,380 patients were discharged from hospitals during the day, which took the number of recoveries to 5,72,431.

    Mumbai’s recovery rate is 88 per cent now, it said.

    The number of active COVID-19 cases in the country’s financial capital dipped to 61,433 in the last 24 hours from 64,018.

    According to the BMC, the city’s average growth rate of COVID-19 for the period between April 23 and 29 is 0.78 per cent, while the case doubling rate is 87 days.

    There are 112 containment zones in the city, where 1,017 buildings have been sealed to break the chain of coronavirus transmission.

    has decided to send coronavirus samples from the state to the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) for genome sequencing, an official order has said.

    Samples of 25 COVID-19 patients from each district will be sent every week to the institute, said a Government Resolution (GR) issued on Thursday.

    It also informed that `double mutation’ in the virus that has been found in the country was detected in the samples from Yavatmal and Amravati.

    Samples from the two eastern Maharashtra districts had been sent to the B J Medical College in Pune for examination.

    The Kerala government had earlier roped in the IGIB, affiliated to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), for genome sequencing, the GR noted.

    The study will be conducted in three rounds over three months at an estimated cost of Rs 1.62 crore which would be met from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

    Maharashtra has witnessed a steep increase in coronavirus infections since February.

    The daily numbers of new cases, which had declined to as low as 2,000 at one point, are regularly crossing 60,000 now.

    Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Friday said that two COVID-19 vaccine makers in the country have told the state government that they could provide up to 18 lakh vaccine doses to the state in the month of May.

    He also said that there was no clarity from the Centre over the distribution of vaccines to the state and private hospitals for vaccinating people in the age group of 18 to 44 years.

    Two days back, the Maharashtra government had made it clear that the nationwide exercise of vaccinating people in this age bracket cannot be launched in the state on the first day of May as it does not have enough quantity of vaccines.

    ALSO READ | COVID-19: BMC acts against bride-groom kin, hall for marriage in south Mumbai

    At present, vaccines of two manufacturers are available in the country – Covishield made by Serum Institute of India (SII) and Covaxin by Bharat Biotech.

    “The Union government has announced that it would be buying 50 per cent of vaccines from both the manufacturers. Rest of the 50 per cent vaccines have to be bought by the states, private hospitals and industrial private hospitals,” Tope told reporters.

    But if any state places a very high quantity order of vaccines before these two manufacturers, then whom they would supply is a question, he said.

    “A question also arises whether the Union government will have to intervene and regulate the whole distribution of vaccines. There is no clarity on how and on what basis vaccines will be distributed to all the states,” Tope added.

    The SII has told the state government that it could supply up to 14-15 lakh (Covishield) vaccines in May, whileBharat Biotech’s supply would be around four lakh, the minister said.

    “We would get around 18 lakh vaccines. If we limit the number of centres for vaccine distribution, we can maintain consistency in COVID-19 inoculation,” he said.

    On the 18-44 age group vaccination drive, Tope said, “Maharashtra CM genuinely feels that the state can start the vaccination drive from May 1.”

    May 1 is also the state foundation day, hence he is inclined to start this drive from that day, he said, adding, “But we need to maintain consistency in the drive.”

    “There are 4,200 inoculation centres in the state, including some private ones. If the Centre asks us not to carry out vaccination at private hospitals, then we will abide by that order as it is a national programme (for 18-44 age group). Whatever instructions are issued, we will have to implement,” he said.

    On a question how the state plans to carry out vaccination of people above 45 years of age, including those who have taken first dose in private hospitals, he said, “If someone has taken the first dose at a private centre, it is necessary for that person to take the second jab as well. That person can take the jab either at a private or a government- run centre.”

    Tope said that people should visit the vaccination centres after taking prior appointment.

    “It will avoid crowding and everyone will get a dose,” he added.

    Every state is reporting a surge in COVID-19 cases, which means there will be more demand for vaccines, he said, adding that the central government needs to come up with some policy so that every state gets an equal share of doses.

    Vaccination for the 18-44 age group will start at 19 centres in Pune district from Saturday, a district health official said.

    Three of these centres will be in Pimpri Chinchwad, two in Pune city and 14 in rural parts of the district.

    In Pune city, the vaccination for this age group will take place at Kamla Nehru Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Hospital.

    Those who register themselves on the Co-WIN portal will be given the vaccine, said a release from the Pune Municipal Corporation.

    Vaccination for the above-45 age group will remain closed on Saturday and Sunday on account of non-availability of doses.

    “If fresh vaccine stock is received before May 3, the inoculation drive for the above-45 age group beneficiaries will resume,” said the release.

    The district administration said that in rural areas, vaccination for the 18-44 age group will take place between May 1 and May 7 at 14 locations, and per day 100 doses will be given at each centre.

  • Rs 5 lakh aid each for kin of Maharashtra hospital oxygen leak tragedy victims: CM Uddhav Thackeray

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday announced financial assistance of Rs five lakh each to the families of 22 patients, who died at a civic hospital in Nashik on Wednesday due to oxygen leakage.

    Expressing grief over the incident, Thackeray also announced a thorough probe into it.

    “The kin of every person died in this incident will get compensation of Rs five lakh. I appeal to people to not indulge in any kind of politics,” he said in a statement.

    ALSO READ | Over 20 Covid-19 patients dead after Oxygen tanker leak in Maharashtra hospital, probe underway

    “The oxygen leakage that led to the death of 22 people is a shocking incident. I cannot express my grief in words. Such incidents are devastating, especially when we are trying hard to save every COVID-19 patient,” he said.

    “I do not know how to console the families who lost their members in this accident. Though it is an accident, there will be a thorough probe into it,” Thackeray added.

    The entire state machinery is trying hard to minimise the COVID-19 spread and we will not let the morale of health workers get affected due to such incidents, the chief minister added.

    The incident took place at Zakir Hussain municipal hospital in Nashik city earlier in the day.

    As per the local officials, the patients died as the oxygen supply was disrupted due to a leakage in the oxygen storage plant.

  • Thankful to PM Modi for opening COVID vaccination for every adult: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday hoped the state will receive COVID-19 vaccines on time on a day the Centre announced that everyone above 18 years of age will be eligible to get vaccinated from May 1 even as he thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for considering his demand to expand the vaccination drive.

    As cases spiralled in many states, the Union government on Monday also liberalised the vaccination drive to allow states, private hospitals and industrial establishments to procure the doses directly from manufacturers.

    “I had some days ago requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to decide on vaccinating all those aged above 25. The Central government today took a positive step on it declaring to administer the vaccine to all aged above 18 and thought about my demand. I thank the prime minister and (Union) health minister for the same,” the CM is quoted a saying in an official statement.

    The CM said proper planning will be done in Maharashtra (to vaccinate everyone above 18 years) and hoped the state will receive vaccines on time.

  • Maharashtra govt pressuring manufacturers not to supply Oxygen Concentrators, claims Madhya Pradesh

    Express News Service
    BHOPAL: While Madhya Pradesh battles hard to meet the rising demand for Oxygen amid the surge in the Covid cases, Madhya Pradesh has accused the Maharashtra government of suppressing the supply of oxygen concentrators to MP.

    “The Maharashtra government is pressuring oxygen concentrator manufacturers. We had already placed orders with those manufacturers, but they’re being pressured not to supply the concentrators to our state,” official sources close to CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said in Bhopal on Saturday.

    “The MP government has, so far, procured 2,000 concentrators. We’re waiting for 650 more Concentrators. Administration in many districts too have procured around 1,300 more concentrators,” sources added.

    “MP is fast returning towards normalcy when it comes to oxygen supply. Against present oxygen consumption of 335 metric tonnes, we’re already getting 350 metric tonnes daily. By April 20, we’ll be getting 445 metric tonnes supply daily and with central government’s help, we’ll be getting 565 metric tonnes daily by April 25 and 700 metric tonnes daily by April 30, which would be sufficient for the expected patients’ numbers by month-end,” they claimed.

    The sources further said the bed capacity for Covid patients at hospitals across MP has now grown to 40,276 beds. As many as 109 Covid Care Centers have been set up in 50 districts with 6,153 beds so far. “In Bhopal, 150 beds are being arranged at the State Administrative Academy, 300 beds at the Hamidia Hospital, 300 beds at the Chirayu Hospital, and 500 beds at the AIIMS-Bhopal.”

    ALSO READ | As Maharashtra registers its highest-ever COVID spike, Pune becomes state’s pandemic hub

    863 Remdesivir injections stolen from Bhopal hospital

    As many as 863 vials of Remdesivir injections have been stolen from the state government’s Hamidia Hospital’s central store. 

    The matter came to light late on Friday night, after which a case was registered at the Kohefiza police station by the hospital management on Saturday.

    According to Kohefiza police station in-charge Anil Vajpayee, “A case has been registered under IPC Sections 457 and 380 and investigations are underway.”

    The stolen injections were meant for supply to various government and private hospitals.

    CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan informed on Saturday that 42,000 Remdesivir injections have so far been supplied across the state and 9,788 more injections were to be received by Saturday.

    Orders for 50,000 more injections have been placed with manufacturers, which will be delivered in the next three days.

  • Tried to discuss oxygen issue with Modi on phone but PM was busy in WB polls: Uddhav Thackeray

    Thackeray appealed to the industrial sector to plan a COVID-appropriate work-style to ensure that the economy is not impacted in case of a quot;third wave of coronavirus quot;.

  • Uddhav Thackeray seeks nod to procure oxygen from other states

    By Express News Service
    MUMBAI/BHOPAL: With a large number of Covid patients in the state requiring oxygen support, Maharashtra is looking at the possibility of demand for medical oxygen exceeding supply by the end of this month. 

    At present the production is 1,200 metric tonne (MT) per day while it is estimated that the demand by the end of April could go up to 2,000 MT. In a letter to the PM, Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has sought the Centre’s permission to airlift medical oxygen from other states.

    At present, the state is diverting its entire production for medical purposes, temporarily cutting off supply to industries. “In many places, private hospitals are declining to admit new patients due to non-availability of oxygen,” said an official.

    Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh is also grappling with the shortage of medical oxygen. It is learnt that several hospitals in Indore, Bhopal, Sagar, Khargone and Jabalpur districts are unable to provide oxygen support.At present, the state is getting local supply of around 267 MT but the daily requirement has touched 400 MT. On Thursday evening, it  said the Centre assured of providing 450 MT.

  • Active Covid-19 caseload in Maharashtra to double in 15 days, says CM Uddhav Thackeray

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has written a letter to the Centre, saying the number of active caseload of COVID-19 in the state is expected to double in the next 15 days.

    Maharashtra is expecting its active caseload to reach 11.9 lakh by April 30, compared to the current active caseload of 5.64 lakh, Thackeray said on Wednesday in the letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    He also said the medical oxygen requirement in the state is projected to reach 2,000 metric tonnes per day by April-end from the present consumption of 1,200 MT per day.

    Citing logistical hurdles in the transportation of liquid medical oxygen from neighbouring states, Thackeray also sought permission under the National Disaster Management Act to airlift oxygen from steel plants in eastern and southern parts of the country.

    Medical-grade oxygen is used for the treatment of critical COVID-19 patients and in other cases of respiratory diseases.

    Maharashtra has approached neighbouring states for medical oxygen supply amid the COVID-19 surge, but they have expressed their inability due to its high demand there, Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Wednesday.

    Thackeray on Tuesday said there is a shortage of medical oxygen and the Centre should help supply it for coronavirus patients in the state by using Air Force planes.

    ALSO WATCH:

    In his letter to Modi, the CM welcomed the Centre’s decision to ban the export of Remdesivir and demanded that authorities grant compulsory license, as per the section 92 of the Indian Patents Act 1970, to facilitate approval to the exporting units to produce and sell the key anti-viral drug in the domestic market without any legal hurdle.

    He also asked the Centre to consider the COVID-19 pandemic as a natural calamity, so that the Maharashtra government can use the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to provide financial assistance to the affected people.

    All State Disaster Management Acts have been formed as part of the central disaster management law; hence the state needs the Union government’s permission to use the SDRF for helping the pandemic-hit people, a government official said.

    As of now, flood, lightning incidents, heavy rainfall where there is loss of property or livelihood fall under the category of natural calamity and monetary compensation is provided to the affected people.

    “The chief minister wants to use the SDRF for the similar purpose as the coronavirus outbreak has affected the earnings of thousands of people in the state.

    We need a legal provision to do so, hence the state government has written to the Centre,” the official said.

    Thackeray also said that notifying the pandemic as natural calamity would allow the state to pay a gratuitous relief of Rs 100 per adult per day and Rs 60 per child per day during the period of the lockdown to those registered under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana and Priority Household ration card holders.

    He also said the first installment of the central share of the SDRF may be released to the state to tide over the financial situation arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The chief minister also demanded that the Centre ask banks to postpone the repayment of loan instalments of small, medium and other business enterprises due in the first quarter of the current fiscal, without charging any interest over it.

    On Wednesday, Maharashtra reported 58,952 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the tally to 35,78,160, while 278 new fatalities pushed the toll to 58,804, the state health department said.

    In view of an alarming rise in cases, the state government has announced stricter measures for 15-days which came into force at 8 pm on Wednesday and will remain in operation till 7 am on May 1.

  • Lockdown to relief package: Uddhav Thackeray reviews COVID situation with task force in Maharashtra

    Express News Service
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday insisted on sticking on with the eight day lockdown even as the task force recommended the 14 days lockdown. 

    Thackeray said that after the eight days lockdown, it can be extended further if it is yielding a positive result. However, the task force said that they should impose the 14 days lockdown so that the administration and local authorities will get enough time to start the jumbo Covid cure centres and extend other facilities. Final decision will be taken soon.

    The meeting with the task force was called to review the present pandemic situation. In the meeting, he was informed that there are 12 districts with no beds available at present for the COVID-19 patients while 75 per cent of ICU and 40 per cent oxygen beds are presently occupied by the patients across the state.

    Besides, out of 1200 metric tonne of oxygen productions, 980 metric tonne is used for health purpose.

    ALSO READ: COVID appropriate behaviour not being followed in 50 most-affected districts in 3 states, says Government

    In the meeting, the task force also suggested that the 95 per cent of positive asymptomatic patients with mild symptoms can be cured at home only, which will reduce the burden on the hospitals and health services.

    It was also decided that in the Nandurbar district the isolation the centre will be started in railway compartments and the state government will also speak with the railway ministry in this regard.

    It was also discussed that before announcing the lockdown, the poor and needy whose life depends on daily work should be compensated by announcing a relief package. 

    Thackeray will have again meeting with the deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who is also finance minister, decide the package and other financial relief measures during the lockdown.

    Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is consulting each and every department and their opinions are also considered. He was involved in every meeting so that the lockdown is not harsh and crumble the wheel of the economy. The task force also suggested that the indiscriminate use of Remdesivir should be stopped.

    Key Numbers

    Oxygen: 1200 MT generated, 980 MT used daily in Maharashtra
    75 per cent ICU beds occupied presently
    40 per cent oxygen beds occupied
    No bed available at 12 districts of Maharashtra

  • Maharashtra CM hints at lockdown; meeting with task force on April 11

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday indicated the imposition of a strict lockdown in the state given the alarming rise in COVID-19 cases, as per some ministers and a senior BJP leader who attended an all-party meeting.

    While Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said he would hold a meeting on Monday on working out a financial package for the sections whose livelihood will be impacted, his colleague Ashok Chavan said the “nature, scope and duration of the lockdownwill be finalised soon”.

    “Though no formal decision on a lockdown has arrived at the all-party meeting, the chief minister appears to be in favour of a strict lockdown,” state BJP president Chandrakant Patil told reporters after the virtual meeting, which discussed the COVID-19 situation in the state for over two hours.

    Apart from prominent ministers from the ruling Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis, state Congress president Nana Patole and other leaders also attended the meeting.

    “The BJP feels a lockdown is necessary, but the government should first work out a financial package for the people who will be affected,” Chandrakant Patil said.

    Patole said his party was in support of whatever decision the CM takes.

    “However, Congress wants the lockdown to be less problematic, unlike the last year. We support a financial package for the affected population.

    The Opposition said that a financial package should be announced first,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Patole blamed the rise in coronavirus positive cases in Maharashtra on the “poor supply” of vaccines.

    State PWD Minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan said the state government’s priority is to save the lives and livelihood of the people.

    “The nature, scope and durationof a lockdownwill be finalised soon,” he said.

    Senior NCP leader and minister Nawab Malik said the CM will hold talks with the state COVID-19 task force on Sunday before taking a decision.

    “There is unanimity among the leaders who attended the meeting today that a lockdown or strict restrictions are necessary to break the coronavirus transmission chain.

    The government will also consider providing a financial package to daily wagers as well as to the people whose livelihood will get affected (due to the lockdown).

    The meeting was held to arrive at a consensus on steps to be taken,” he told reporters.

  • Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray to hold all-party meet on April 10 to discuss COVID-19

    By Express News Service
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra CM Udhav Thackeray has called an all-party meeting on Saturday to discuss taking stringent measures to contain the pandemic. According to the CMO, it has been decided to call an all-party meeting on Saturday, but the time of the meeting is yet to be fixed.

    “The leaders can join the meeting via video conference as well and it is not mandatory for them to be physically present,” a source said adding that it will be a “crucial meeting”.

    “Maharashtra government has taken measures like closing down non-essential shops and crowded places, but that is not helping to bring down the cases. The CM wants to take opposition parties in confidence before announcing more stringent measures or complete lockdown,” a senior Shiv Sena leader said.

    The Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders are putting a united face over “vaccine shortage” and other issues. While the Centre charged the MVA government of “vaccine mismanagement”, the state ministers countered the criticism by “exposing” the Centre’s claims.

    ALSO WATCH: