Amid rising COVID-19 cases, Maharashtra seeks 2.2 crore vaccine doses from Centre

The Maharashtra government has asked the central government for a supply of 2.2 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses to aid its ongoing inoculation drive in the state. 

Maharashtra is the worst-affected state due to the virus in the country, with 15,051 new infections on Monday taking its total tally to 23,29,464, PTI reported. Meanwhile, 48 coronavirus-related fatalities took the death toll to 52,909, according to data from the health department. 

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In a letter to his Union counterpart on Monday, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope asked for a supply of 20 lakh doses per week. 

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“The state is planning to immunise 60-plus age group and 45-plus population with co-morbidities. It needs supply of 2.20 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine (Covishield and Covaxin) during the next three-and-a-half months. You are requested to supply 20 lakh doses per week to Maharashtra,” Tope said in the letter. 

Earlier, in a letter to the Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan expressed his disappointment over the state’s failure to curb the spread of the virus. 

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The state does not seem serious about controlling the situation. 

A central delegation visited Maharashtra between March 7 and 11 and also discussed the COVID-19 situation with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Maharashtra, Punjab and Kerala account for over a third of India’s total active cases.