‘Third wave of Covid could hit India during festival season from October to November,’ warns Maharashtra’s health minister

Considering the current spike in Covid cases, the Maharashtra health minister said that India may witness the third wave of Covid during the upcoming festival season in October and November.

New Delhi: India has witnessed an increase in Covid cases in recent days, which has alerted state governments and citizens, given the possible third wave of Covid standing at the gate. Concerned about the raging virus and the sudden surge, Maharashtra’s Health Minister Rajesh Tope warned on Thursday that there was a possibility of a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that could take hold state over the next festival months of October and November.

While experts have warned that the possible third wave of coronavirus will likely affect children the most, Rajesh Tope said Maharahstra’s government is bracing for the next wave of Covid.

Tope said the state administration has recruited around 1,200 doctors and will hire another 7,000 health workers by the end of September.

“We are recruiting 1,200 doctors. By the end of September, we will recruit 7,000 additional health workers. We are increasing oxygen production and the number of hospital beds. We bought 1,000 new ambulances. We have approved an increase of Rs 1,500 in the wages of ASHA workers. This will benefit 71,000 ASHA workers. About Rs 275 crore will be included in the budget for the same, ”he told reporters, according to the ANI news agency.

He also warned that there could be an increase in new infections due to upcoming festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, Dussehra, and Diwali and that the country could witness the third wave of Covid.

Tope also informed that since schools were allowed to reopen in the state, the government has taken the step of vaccinating teachers on a priority basis.

He said the state government issued a circular to all collectors and local authorities asking them to vaccinate all teaching and non-teaching staff by September 5, which is also celebrated as the Day. teachers.

“We sent a circular to collectors and local authorities according to which until September 5 the vaccination of teaching and non-teaching staff should be completed, if necessary also organize a vaccination campaign. There is the possibility of a third wave of incoming festival months, so we are also discussing avoiding local body elections and we are also on high alert on this, ”Tope said at a conference. press release in Mumbai, ANI reported.

The second wave is not over: Center

The Union Health Ministry said on Thursday that the second wave of coronavirus was not yet over in India and added that appropriate Covid behavior should be followed during festivals.

“We are still in the middle of the second wave of Covid-19 in our country. The second wave is not yet over. It is not over and therefore we must maintain all the necessary precautions, especially in light of our experience that after each festival we see a spike, ”said Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan.

Maharashtra sees a peak in Covid cases

Maharashtra reported 5,108 new cases of Covid-19, slightly more than Wednesday, and 159 deaths on Thursday. The new wave brought the state’s infection count to 64,428,888 and the death toll to 1,36,730.

Mumbai, meanwhile, with 397 new cases of Covid-19, recorded its highest daily count in nearly a month.

ALSO READ: Covid update: India Records 44,658 New Corona Cases As Kerala Continues To Report Over 30,000 Infections In Last 24 Hours

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