Maharashtra, the state affected worst by the coronavirus pandemic, may see a third wave of infections by July or August, Health Minister Ra...
Maharashtra, the state affected worst by the coronavirus pandemic, may see a third wave of infections by July or August, Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Thursday, PTI reported.
“Maharashtra is trying to be self-sufficient in terms of availability of medical oxygen by then,” he said, adding that the state was trying to set up 125 Pressure Swing Adsorption plants for generating medical oxygen and arrange for oxygen concentrators. The government would also provide medical equipment such as CT scan and MRI machines to districts where these facilities are not available, he added.
“Crises of oxygen should not happen in future, we have informed all officials. Huge oxygen plants are being set up,” he said following a review meeting with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray as well as district collectors and divisional commissioners. Collectors were told not to complain about oxygen shortages when the next wave hits the state, he said.
Tope’s statement came on a day the state reported 66,159 new cases and 771 deaths. State capital Mumbai logged 4,192 new cases and 82 deaths. On Thursday, the Maharashtra government also extended the lockdown-like restrictions in the state till May 15.
The health minister also said that the state was facing a shortage of 10,000 to 15,000 vials of...
