17 new cases in State; tally now 220

Nashik records first positive case; BMC reports 47 fresh cases

The State recorded 17 new COVID-19 positive cases on Monday, taking its tally to 220. Nashik’s Niphad tehsil reported its first positive case, while fresh cases were reported from Mumbai (8), Pune (5), Nagpur (2), and Kolhapur (1).

Meanwhile, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reported 47 new cases on Monday. Civic officials said the number rose after adding the data collected from private laboratories between March 24 and 28.

A BMC official said,“Eighteen patients have tested positive in private laboratories and the number has been updated now.”

State health officials said since they are yet to receive the overall data from the BMC, the figure has not been updated in the final tally.

Nashik District Collector Suraj Mandhare said, “A youth in his early 30s has tested positive. He is from Lasalgaon in Niphad teshsil. While we had sent 73 samples from the district for testing at Pune’s National Institute of Virology, 72 had returned negative. His was the only one to test positive. So, I again urge all citizens to remain indoors to prevent any community spread.”

No travel history

According to sources, the Niphad youth did not have any history of foreign travel. With five fresh cases being reported from Pune, the number of cases in the district has risen to 43. So far, 39 people across the State have been discharged from isolation facilities after recovering from the virus.

However, authorities in Sangli district have expressed fears of a rise in cases with four members of a family in Islampur tehsil, who had returned from Saudi Arabia, infecting several people, making it possibly the biggest case of cluster infection in the State. Till date, 25 people, of whom 24 are members of the Islampur family, have tested positive.

Since Sunday, a lockdown has been imposed in the tehsil and areas sealed in a 3.5 km radius from the residence of the patients. Authorities said 337 people who had come into contact with the Islampur family have been placed under quarantine. Supply of essential services will be strictly regulated during the three-day lockdown.

(With inputs from Jyoti Shelar)