Navi Mumbai to be under 1-week lockdown; APMC to function while ensuring social distancing

As the Coronavirus cases continue to rise at an alarming rate, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) has decided to extend the lockdown in Navi Mumbai region as well, after the lockdown was extended in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Thane city, Kalyan-Dombivli and Mira-Bhayander on Friday and other towns and rural areas on Saturday.

Lockdown in Navi Mumbai will be in place till July 19. However, the APMC market along with essential services will continue functioning during the lockdown, as per reports.

READ | Coronavirus Live Updates: Amitabh, Abhishek Bachchan Test Positive, Maha Death Toll At 10k

READ | Amitabh Bachchan Tests COVID +ve Latest Updates: Actor & Son Abhishek Stable & Isolated

Maharashtra breaches the 10,000 mark

Maharashtra remains the worst affected state due to COVID-19 with the death toll due to the deadly virus breaching the 10,000 mark in the state on Saturday while cases jumped by a record 8,139 to reach 2,46,600, according to the state health department stated. The death toll stood at 10,116 on Saturday.

However, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday praised the Dharavi model of fighting COVID-19 by saying that Mumbai's Dharavi has emerged as a global role model for containing the spread of COVID-19. This comes after the World Health Organisation mentioned Dharavi among other crowded places that had witnessed improvement in the COVID-19 situation.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday opined that the lockdown had to be put in place as people failed to follow rules laid down by the government in the wake of the pandemic. Comparing the situation with England. He said that the country had imposed lockdown again as the cases increased. Pawar said that to break the chain, the authorities had to ensure that there is no contact between people. Pawar made the statement while justifying Pune lockdown.

READ | Maharashtra COVID-19 Death Toll Crosses 10,000; Active Cases Near 1 Lakh-mark

READ | 'Amitabh Bachchan Asymptomatic, In Stable Condition': Maharashtra Health Minister

On Friday, a complete lockdown was announced in Pune for 10 days starting from July 13 to July 23. It would cover Pune Pimpri-Chinchwad and some parts of rural Pune too. About 22 villages have been identified in rural parts of Pune district where the lockdown would be imposed. The lockdown will be implemented in two phases between 13 to 18 July - when only medical shops, dairies and hospitals, newspaper delivery will be allowed to remain open, making it a strict lockdown. The second phase may not be as strict however only essential shops will be allowed to remain open.