Maharashtra COVID-19 task force member suggests curbs for short time if Omicron threat persists

A member of the Maharashtra government's COVID-19 task force on Monday said curbs for a short duration of time would have to be considered if cases of the new coronavirus variant Omicron continue to rise in the state. Dr Vasant Nagvekar, who is also a consultant for infectious diseases at a city-based hospital, said a rapid rise in the cases of Omicron, classified as a 'variant of concern' by the WHO, will definitely pose challenges.

"If Omicron cases rise (further), its going to be challenging due to its faster spread. We will have to deal with the prevailing situation and take decisions appropriately. "If cases rise, may be temporarily we may have to consider closure for a small period of time till the storm settles," he said. On Monday, Maharashtra recorded 26 new cases of Omicron - 11 of them in Mumbai - taking the overall tally of the variant to 167.

The state has been reporting a steep rise in daily coronavirus cases in the last few days. The tally of active cases has also crossed the 10,000-mark in Maharashtra.