Mumbai, Apr 20 (IANS): With 1,100 new cases of Covid-19, the Maharashtra government has started 25 dedicated hospitals for the patients with all other arrangements to treat critical cases, Medical Education Minister Girish Mahajan said here on Wednesday.

Taking a detailed review of the Covid-19 preparedness, Mahajan interacted with the deans of all government medical colleges and hospitals in the state besides top officials of his department, including Dr Ashwini Joshi, Rajiv Nivatkar, Dr Dilip Mhaisekar, Dr Ajay Chandanwale, principals and others.

The minister has directed that all medical, paramedical and support staffers working in medical colleges and hospitals wear face masks to avoid infections, and people at large too as a precaution, akin to similar directions of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation.

He said that the state government has more than 5,000 Covid beds, 2,000 ventilators, 62 liquid medical oxygen tanks, 37 PSA Plants, 2,000 jumbo and 6,000 small oxygen cylinders ready for any eventuality.

All medical colleges have testing facilities with a capacity of over 30,000 per day, he said, and instructed all hospitals to ensure availability of all requirements to the patients, especially the vulnerable groups, plus arrangements for vaccination.

Maharashtra recorded 1,100 fresh Covid-19 infections and 4 fatalities, besides 6,102 active cases.