10 coronavirus cases in Maha; budget session to be curtailed

Two persons from Mumbai on Wednesday tested positive for coronavirus, taking number of such cases in Maharashtra to 10, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said as disease cast a show over ongoing budget session of legislature which is being curtailed.

dressing a press conference at Vidhan Bhawan in Mumbai, he said re are eight coronavirus (COVID-19) positive cases in Pune and two in Mumbai.

All ten were part of a 40-member group which recently visited a foreign country as tourists, he said.

In view of situation, Thackeray indicated that ongoing budget session of legislature, scheduled till March 20, will be curtailed and it is likely to conclude over weekend after completion of pending business.

Thackeray said decision is being taken to prevent strain on ministration and allow legislators to visit ir constituencies and be on field.

"se people (who tested positive for COVID-19) do t have serious symptoms. re is need to panic due to this," Thackeray said. government has got in touch with remaining 30 people who were part of group, CM said.

"Three are from Karnataka and four have tested negative. This means t all people in group have tested positive," Thackeray said. "All ten people are undergoing treatment and are under observation. re is need to panic. All of m h mild symptoms and t serious," he said.

He said decision to curtail session was taken at a meeting attended by presiding officers of both houses and leers of opposition in assembly and council.

" ongoing budget session will end eir on Saturday or Sunday after completing scheduled business," chief minister said.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said issue of curtailing legislature sessionwill be discussed in both houses on Thursday.

"Legislature is final authority. We need to pass budget, appropriation bill first," Pawar said.

Pawar me it clear that session is being curtailed t out of fear of coronavirus but to prevent strain on ministration.

"To brief cabinet on issues listed on question hour or calling attention tices, officials have to travel to Mumbai from different parts of state.

"Even legislators need to go back to ir constituencies and create awarenessso that we can defeat virus which is on our doorstep. re is need to panic," Pawar said.

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Pawar said to prevent crowding in state legislature complex only ministers and legislators will be allowed inside.

Thackeray said re was a suggestion from Pune ministration that schools be closed.

"We feel re is need w (for this step). But if needed a decision will be taken," he said.

"re are 850 to 1,000 people from state who are currently abro as tourists. Tour operators have been asked to get in touch with ministration once y land in Mumbai," Pawar said.

Asked about IPL, which is slated to start on March 29, Thackeray said re is a proposal to hold cash-rich T20 tournament without stium audience or postpone it.

" government is yet to take a decision. re should be crowd at any cost," he said.

"We appeal that religious events in rural parts of state be postponed. I have spoken to Union health minister Harsh Vardhan for permission to start ditional labs or than ones in Pune, Mumbai and Nagpur (to test samples)," Thackeray said.

Meanwhile, a statement by Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) of Public Health Department, Maharashtra said an "aggressive contact tracing activity" is in progress on a war footing after two Dubai returnees from Pune were found positive for positive coronavirus two days ago.

"Till Wednesday, 1,38,968 travellers from 1,195 flights have been screened at Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur international airports. As per new guidelines from central government, travelers coming from all countries are being screened at international airports," it said.

"From January 18 till date 349 symptomatic travellers have been isolated in identified isolation facilities. At present 18 travelers are still in hospital at Pune, while 15 at Mumbai," it said.

Suspected cases have also been isolated at Nagpur and Pimpri Chinchw, statement said.

"All international travellers are being screened at airports and all symptomatic travelers are referred to identified isolation wards. Asymptomatic travellers coming from 12 countries are being referred to IDSP for regular follow-up for 14 days," it said.

Apart from Mumbai, Pune and Thane, travellers are also being monitored in Gchiroli, Nanded, Buldhana, Yavatmal, Nagpur, Wardha, Sangli, Ahmednagar, Amaravati, Palghar, Jalgaon, Chandrapur and Satara districts, it said.

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