The Maharashtra government on Sunday ordered museums to be shut and expanded the closure of cinema halls across the State. The government may also impose Section 144 of of the Criminal Procedure Code at public places, if required, to prevent crowding.
The capacity of the quarantine facilities at Seven Hills Hospital and Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai will be increased. Apart from Kasturba and KEM hospitals, COVID-19 tests will also be conducted at JJ Hospital, Haffkine Institute and Pune’s BJ Medical College in near future, Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Sunday.
By Sunday, the number of positive novel coronavirus patients in Maharashtra had reached 33. Mr. Tope, addressing a press conference, said the State has so far screened 1.81 lakh passengers arriving on 1,584 flights at various airports.
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Of the 758 samples tested for the infection, 669 were found to be negative, 33 tested positive, while the results of the rest are awaited.
Mr. Tope said, “All patients are stable, nobody is severe or critical.” The Health Minister said a majority of the positive patients have a history of foreign travel, and for the rest, the authorities have established the point of contact.
Apart from shutting museums and film theatres, the government will also request the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) to postpone its upcoming exams, he said. Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray had tweeted that the State has postponed all MPSC exams until March 31.
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The minister said that since the government has invoked the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, commissioners and district collectors are authorised to take up measures such as directing any hospital — private or public — to set up a quarantine facility, force those who do not isolate to do so, take action against anyone hindering this, and shut down an entire area to ensure social distancing.
Boosting capacity
Seven Hills Hospital, which has been turned into a quarantine facility with a capacity of 400 beds, will undergo some repairs so that additional beds can be added to expand the capacity to 1,000. Kasturba Hospital has an isolation capacity of 80 beds, which will be increased to 125. At present, all 80 beds are occupied.
The State has set aside 450 ventilators for COVID-19 patients.
Besides, the lab at Kasturba Hospital, which can test 250 samples per day, will be boosted to test another 100 samples per day. From Wednesday, the civic-run KEM Hospital will also get a testing lab with a capacity of 250 samples per day. In the next 20 days, JJ Hospital and Haffkine Institute in Mumbai and BJ Medical College in Pune will also get testing facilities.
In future, the State will set up labs in Miraj, Solapur, Dhule and Aurangabad, which will be affiliated to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, and reduce the burden on it.
“Since those quarantined have to stay isolated, we are providing them with television, Wi-Fi and newspapers,” Mr. Tope said.
Preventing crowds
When it was pointed out that people are using time off work to visit beaches and open spaces, the Health Minister said the police have been instructed to impose Section 144 wherever there are crowds.
“The lockdown in Wuhan helped slow down the virus. We will take whatever measures required,” he said.
He also said the traffic police will be instructed to stop using breathalysers on motorists. When asked about random sampling of people for coronavirus, Mr. Tope said the State will follow the Centre’s protocol in such cases. In light of isolated patients running away from an Ahmednagar hospital, he said security, including police bandobast, will be increased.