Amid rising coronavirus cases, the Centre has asked the Maharashtra government to focus on strict and effective containment strategy. The Center said,  measures like night curfews, weekend lockdowns, etc. have very limited impact on containing or suppressing the COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter to Maharashtra chief secretary, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan warned the state government that Maharashtra is in the beginning of a second wave of Covid and asked the state administration to bring down the state's test positivity rate, and step-up contact-tracing and vaccinations. The Centre's response comes on the findings of a Central team of experts deployed to Maharashtra last week to review the surge in Covid-19 cases in the state.<br />''<br />''Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope has demanded 2.20 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses from the Centre for the ongoing inoculation drive in the state. As per a letter dated March 15, written to the Union health minister by Tope, he requested the Centre to supply 20 lakh doses per week to the state. In the letter, Tope said, the state is planning to immunise the 60-plus age group and 45-plus population with co-morbidities and it needs supply of 2.20 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine (Covishield and Covaxin) during the next three-and-a-half months. He further requested to supply 20 lakh doses per week to Maharashtra. Tope is in Delhi today to meet the Union Health Minister.<br />''  With an aim to speed up the Covid vaccination drive, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has set a target of inoculating one lakh people in the city every day. According to BMC officials, currently, 40,000 to 45,000 people are being given vaccine shots here in a day at around 85 immunisation centres, including 54 private hospitals. Since the vaccination drive began on January 16 this year, 6,48,344 people have been inoculated in Mumbai till yesterday.<br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">In Maharashtra, 2 lakh 64 thousand 897 people were vaccinated in the state in a single day yesterday. It is the highest number of single day vaccinations so far. Out of these, 2,43,812 were given Covishied Vaccine while 21, 085 were administered with Covaxin. In all 31,33,612 people have been vaccinated in the state till yesterday. Out of this, 8,46,733 heath workers have received 1st dose while 3,61,222 have received 2nd dose, 5,27,340 frontline workers have received 1st dose and 72,777 have received 2nd dose, 2,10,487 people above 45 years with co-morbidities have received 1st dose while 11,15,053 senior citizens i.e., above 60 years have received 1st dose of covid-19 vaccine.</span><br />