As the number of cases testing positive for COVID-19 were not coming down, the Maharashtra government had little choice but to impose a state-wise lockdown. The pandemic has affected Maharashtra the most with 110 positive cases being reported. This has resulted in a lot of people being panic-stricken and doing things which they normally may not do. As the symptoms of coronavirus are cough, fever and headache, people have started consuming cough syrups and paracetamols as 'self-cure'. Chemists and medical shops have observed a rise in demand for cough syrups and paracetamols.
In addition to this, people are falling for rumours that coronavirus can be cured using the medicine 'Chloroquine', which is an anti-malaria drug. Due to which, people have started buying them from medical shops without a proper prescription. Therefore, a majority of chemists have stopped giving these tablets. India has also banned exports of hydroxychloroquine.
Informing the same, commerce ministry said in a notification, "The export of Hydroxychloroquine and formulations made from Hydroxychloroquine are prohibited from immediate effect".
With coronavirus at a rise in Maharashtra, the rumours regarding the virus are also spreading. In one such instance, the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) had issued a notice to a Mumbai-based doctor who had termed the virus as a "Chinese fad" which will not survive in the Indian summer.
Dr Anil Patil, a Dadar resident was asked to present an explanation in front of MMC. Dr Patil had reportedly made claims that the fear over novel coronavirus is unwarranted and that the virus will not survive in Indian summer.
He had also stated that the novel coronavirus which has globally claimed thousands if lives globally, is a "Chinese fad" which is aimed at creating a business opportunity for factories that manufacture masks.
Meanwhile, the total number of cases in Maharashtra has jumped to 125 and the death toll stands at 3.
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