Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said the State government has asked the district administrations in flood-affected areas to increase the number of Covid-19 tests.

“The number of Covid-19 cases in some districts of Maharashtra are a cause for concern. The number of patients here was on rising before floods. The State had started to investigate the reasons for the rising number of patients here but then floods hit the region. I have asked district administrations here to increase Covid-19 tests and teams of doctors to stop further spread of Covid-19,” said Thackeray speaking to reporters in Sangli, one of the flood-affected districts.

Thackeray said the State has the capacity to generate about 13,00 MT oxygen while during the peak of second wave State required about 1,700 to 1,800 MT oxygen. “We had to bring in oxygen from other States during the second wave. If the third wave is bigger than the second one, more oxygen will be required in all States and it would be difficult to bring oxygen from other States,” he said.

He warned that the government will not succumb to pressure by traders who are demanding that government should relax restrictions.

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