Mumbai : The state on Tuesday recorded 51,880 new Covid-19 cases, even as 15 districts, including Mumbai and Thane, showed a drop in the number of cases, while 21 continued to record a high number of cases. The state reported 891 deaths; 240,956 people were tested. The state government in order to contain the Covid-19 virus has imposed a strict lockdown in six districts where the cases are increasing. In this lockdown, everything, except medical facilities, will remain closed and people can only venture out for medical emergencies.

Health minister Rajesh Tope said, “If we compare today’s situation to that of two weeks ago, we have witnessed a decline in the number of cases. We have been able to bring down the numbers in 15 districts, but the cases continue to rise in 21 districts. Our main target is to bring down these numbers.”

The state government has imposed a stricter curfew in six districts Baramati, Sangli, Satara, Ahmednagar, Kolhapur and Beed – which have been witnessing an increase in Covid-19 cases. 

 Tope justified stricter lockdown saying it was needed to bring down the cases. “There is definitely a lockdown in place, but this will be stricter,” said Tope. Due to the spike, these districts have been facing a shortage of hospital beds, ventilators as well as medicines like Remdesivir. Currently, the state needs approximately 40,000 oxygen concentrators, of which 20,000 will be provided to the state.