Maharashtra's state health department on Friday said that the state has recorded 49,447 fresh covid-19 cases which is the highest single-day count since the beginning of the pandemic.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said that the state government is considering diverting all industrial use oxygen supply for medical use, keeping in view the fact that Maharashtra is recording over half of the daily coronavirus cases in India.
The new covid-19 cases have taken the tally to 29, 53, 523. As many as 277 people died due to coronavirus in the state on Saturday.
With the demand for oxygen surging, the state public health department had last month directed oxygen manufacturers to divert 80 per cent of their stocks for medical use and retain the rest 20 per cent for industrial purposes.
Speaking to newspaper owners, editors and distributors, Thackeray said a decision on imposing stringent measures to tackle the pandemic will be taken soon but did not confirm if there will be a state-wide lockdown.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said the state may face a shortage of healthcare infrastructure shortage soon if the present "alarming situation" on coronavirus cases continued.
Thackeray also warned of stricter restrictions in the coming days and said that he cannot rule out a lockdown.
"I cannot rule out imposing a lockdown if the current situation prevails," he said on Friday. People have become complacent, he added.
(With PTI inputs.)
