80% patients asymptomatic in Maharashtra: Uddhav Thackeray

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said "80 per cent patients of coronavirus were asymptomatic" in his state – which has the largest number of COVID-19 patients in the country. Maharashtra currently has 7,628 cases -- more than a quarter of over 26,000 cases in the country. A chunk of them are from Mumbai, the country's financial capital.

The Chief Minister said his state will take a decision on extending the lockdown by the end of this month."We will take a call on what to do after the 30th," Thackeray said. For now, he said, "We are restarting some things. I am going to study (the plan) it this evening. We have to see how we return to normalcy slowly".Giving examples of urgent requirements, he said, "Doctors should start their clinics. Dialysis centers should be started".The Maharashtra government has decided to make coronavirus tests and treatment in medical and dental colleges under the state's Medical Education Department free and people should not avoid treatment thinking about high costs, Minister Amit Deshmukh said on Sunday.

Meanwhile, he asked the people to have patience, saying without lockdown, there is "no other choice" at the moment."It is not like the coronavirus is suddenly going away. There is no proof of her immunity. We have to keep the high risk group safe," he said. "You have to wear masks. We cannot create crowds. You should exercise at home. If you see symptoms please go to a fever clinic. Do not ignore symptoms and self-medicate," he said, reading out the rulebook.