People's participation must to control COVID-19: Maharashtra CM

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said people's participation is necessary to control the COVID-19 pandemic. To curb the pandemic in adjoining Osmanabad, Thackeray directed officials to constitute a district-level task force and form village-level teams to undertake mitigation measures. Laboratories should continue their research work even after the pandemic is brought under control, he said here in central Maharashtra. The Chief Minister inaugurated a coronavirus testing laboratory in Osmanabad through video conferencing.

Speaking on the occasion, he said, "Participation of citizens is important to control the pandemic. The administration must see that citizens follow safety and preventive measures."

"We have fought viral diseases (in the past), but COVID-19 is the worst among them. But together we will defeat it. Follow guidelines strictly and work as a team," the CM said.

Health Minister Rajesh Tope expressed concern over the COVID-19 death rate in Osmanabad.

"The district administration must initiate steps to bring down the death rate. After the new lab, there will be no delay in getting reports of swab tests," he said.

The laboratory in Osmanabad has been established at a sub-centre of the Aurangabad-based Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwda University (BAMU). The university has already set up a COVID-19 testing laboratory at its campus in Aurangabad.