With the possibility of a third wave, or another surge in Covid-19 cases posing a real danger, the Maharashtra government has started taking steps to ensure that medicines and medical equipment are available in the State, especially in rural areas, Chief Minister, Uddhav Thackeray said on Wednesday.

He was addressing the State Covid-19 task force, senior doctors and government officials.

A media statement issued by the Chief Minister Office said, doctors from the task force stressed the need for strict adherence to Covid restrictions, they also emphasised the need for a statewide serological survey and large-scale vaccination. Expressing their fears, they said that if the crowd grows and health rules are not followed, the state will face the third wave in two months.

At the time of the first wave the state lacked facilities, the administration started increasing it and the second wave also taught the adminsitration many lessons. The second wave is receding and from the experience, the focus needs to be on the necessary medicines, health facilities, beds and oxygen availability, the Chief Minister said and informed that in August-September the country will have 42 crore vaccines doses, which will greatly benefit Maharashtra, the statement said.

The statement said that the second wave doubled the number of patients in a very short period compared to the first wave. With the threat of a new Delta Plus variant, the number of patients in the state could double faster in the event of a third wave. In the first wave, there were 19 lakh patients, in the second wave, the number was more than 40 lakh.

The meeting discussed in detail the possible future medicines, their procurement, provision of funds for the same, RTPCR kits, masks and PPE kits.

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