Maharashtra CM says be ready, third Covid-19 wave may hit by July-Aug

Even as the second wave is yet to recede, Maharashtra is likely to be hit by a third wave by July and August, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Thursday, citing the epidemiologists consulted by the government. He asked the state administration to be prepared for the third wave by ramping up the infrastructure, saying he didn’t want to see a repeat of the current scenario. The CM called a meeting of divisional commissioners and district collectors to take stock of the Covid situation on Thursday. State health minister Rajesh Tope said, “We will have to become self-sufficient, especially in oxygen supply. The CM said he did not want to hear any reason for shortage of oxygen supply then.”

The prediction is based on advice given by the members of the state task force comprising experts from the medical field. They have made the prediction based on the study of patterns of Covid waves in various countries. According to the experts, a drop in daily cases is likely to start by May-end, but by July-end or the first week of August, cases will start rising again which will be the third wave in the state, said a senior official, requesting anonymity.