Mumbai lockdown likely to be extended as coronavirus cases rise over 36,000

• As the coronavirus cases in the state continued to increase rapidly, Maharashtra may continue lockdown for few more days
• Mumbai alone reported over 36,000 coronavirus cases

Maharashtra's COVID-19 count inched closer to the 60,000-mark. Over 2,500 new infections were confirmed in last 24 hours. As the coronavirus cases in the state continued to increase rapidly, Maharashtra may continue lockdown for few more days.

"We will review the situation on the 29th or 30th of May and we will assess the situation then," the state water resources minister Jayant Patil. However, there could be a certain relaxations in least-affected areas. During the fourth phase of nationwide lockdown, the Centre allowed the states to decide the "red, green and orange" zones and the containment areas.

State health minister Rajesh Tope said the movement of people from "red zone" areas to other districts led to an increase in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra. “It is expected the cases would increase, primarily due to the movement of people. How long can we keep things under lockdown? With people from Mumbai going to other districts, the number of cases has gone up," Tope said on Thursday.

"We will have to increase the containment zones in these districts. We are confident that it will be brought under control," the state health minister added.

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba held a meeting on Thursday with municipal commissioners and district magistrates of 13 cities which accounted for 70% of the total coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the country. The cities were Mumbai, Chennai, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Thane, Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Indore, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Chengalpattu and Thiruvallur.

The total number of coronavirus cases in Maharashtra increased to 59,546. The state was the worst-affected by coronavirus pandemic in the country. The death toll in the state also rose to 1,982. At least 85 people died due to coronavirus infection in last 24 hours. Almost all intensive care unit (ICU) beds for COVID-19 patients were occupied, according to the data released by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, news agency ANI reported.

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