On Thursday, November 5, Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope asked the citizens to celebrate a firecracker-free Diwali this year in order to reduce air pollution and prevent the rise in cases of coronavirus.
In a media statement followed by a review meeting with the officials and members of the COVID-19 task-force set up to tackle the pandemic, Tope said he would take up the issue with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Moreover, health officials have appealed to the people to celebrate cracker-free Diwali by adopting measures like wearing masks, observing social distancing and washing hands regularly during Diwali.
On the other hand, the government is also touted to increase testing at malls, shopping complexes, grocery shops and public transport, among others, as these locations have been identified as "super- spreaders”. Apart from this, the state government has decided to extend the decision to reserve 80 per cent beds in private hospitals for patients suffering from the coronavirus.
Earlier, under the chairmanship of Tope, a meeting of the State Task Force and the Death Audit Committee was held. A review of the mortality rate and preparedness to combat a possible second wave of the coronavirus was pondered about. The meeting was attended by the Principal Secretary of the Health Department Dr Pradeep Vyas, Chairman of the State Task Force Dr Sanjay Oak, Chairman of Death Audit Committee Dr Avinash Supe, Chairman of State Infectious Disease Control Room Committee Dr Subhash Salunke, Director of Health Sadhana Tayde, and Dr Archana Patil.
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