When will Mumbai lockdown end? Uddhav Thackeray has an answer

With Maharashtra adding over 1,000 cases for the third consecutive day on Friday, the total number of coronavirus cases in the state inched towards 20,000-mark. Maharashtra was the hardest hit by coronavirus pandemic. The death toll in the state today crossed 700, the highest in the country. At least 37 people succumbed to death in last 24 hours.

Mumbai alone accounted for over 50% cases in Maharashtra. The city confirmed over 12,000 coronavirus patients and over 300 fatalities. To mitigate the spread of virus, the authorities allowed only essential shops and medical outlets to remain open during the third phase of lockdown.

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said that the state was not able to break the "chain of coronavirus infection". He urged citizens to stay indoors and maintain social distancing norms to fight against the virus.

Every citizen of the state is a soldier who is fighting coronavirus, the chief minister said. He also assured the citizens that adequate medical infrastructure was available, especially in Mumbai.

Thackeray added that the state government may ask for "additional manpower"from the Central government.

"Police personnel are tired after working round-the clock, some have fallen sick and few of them have succumbed to the virus. They need rest," Thackeray said.

Relaxation of lockdown after May 17 depends on how far people maintain discipline and follow rules, he said.

"We have to come out of the lockdown one day or the other. We can't be staying permanently like this. But to come out of this sooner, you need to follow rules and maintain discipline of social distancing and use face mask," Thackeray said.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (Thane Division) reported 14,648 patients and 497 COVID-19 deaths. Pune Division confirmed 2,456 patients and 151 fatalities. Nashik Division detected 757 positive cases, followed by Aurangabad Division with 495 coronavirus patients.

On a positive side, 3,470 people were recovered from the disease in the state. "Though the number of coronavirus cases was rising, the number of patients who are recovering is also high," Maharashtra CM pointed out.

"If needed, medical facilities at the central government institutions in Mumbai will be used for isolation facilities," Thackeray said.

He appealed migrant workers not to panic. Maharashtra government was in touch with the Centre and had sought more trains to ferry migrants to their home states, chief minister said.