In its highest single-day jump since December last year, Maharashtra reported 6,112 new COVID-19 cases on Friday. The Health Department said no new virus strains were detected in the samples tested from Amravati, Yavatmal and Satara districts.
State Health Minister Rajesh Tope and ministers Bacchu Kadu and Rajendra Shingne are among the latest to test positive for the virus. With the latest spike, the State’s active case tally stands at 44,765 and total case tally at 20,87,632. Mumbai city, along with Pune, Nagpur and Amravati districts, recorded the maximum cases, contributing to nearly 40% of the surge.
Forty-four fatalities pushed the total death toll to 51,713. With just 2,159 patients discharged in the last 24 hours, the cumulative recoveries stand at 19,89,963. The State’s recovery rate has dipped to 95.32%, and the case fatality rate is 2.48%.
“Of 1,55,88,324 laboratory samples tested thus far, 20,87,632 (with the case positivity rate down to 13.39%) have returned positive, with over 67,000 samples being tested in the last 24 hours,” said State Surveillance Officer Dr. Pradeep Awate.
Four samples each from Amravati, Yavatmal and Satara have been tested so far at Pune’s B.J. Medical College. “According to the test report, no change has been found in the virus in these districts like the new strain found in Britain, South Africa or Brazil. Twelve samples from Pune have also been tested and no change in genetic sequence has been found,” Dr. Awate said.
Authorities said further investigations were under way and more samples from Akola, Amravati and Yavatmal districts have been sent to the National Institute of Virology and the National Institute of Cell Science in Pune for genetic testing. A detailed report is expected by next week.
In its highest case surge in over two months, Pune reported more than 1,000 new cases to take its total case tally to 3,98,407. A single death was reported as the death toll reached 8,020. However, as per district authorities, the toll has crossed 9,150, while the active case tally has crossed 5,300.
823 cases in Mumbai
Mumbai reported 823 cases, taking its total case tally to 3,17,310, of which 5,162 are active. Five fatalities saw the city’s death toll reach 11,437. Amid the surge, Mayor Kishori Pednekar quashed rumours of the city going under a strict lockdown.
Nagpur district reported more than 750 new cases, taking its tally to 1,43,337, of which 5,999 are active. Nine deaths saw the total death toll rise to 3,459.
Amravati saw a big spike of more than 750 cases, taking its total tally to 28,629, of which 4,455 are active. Six deaths saw the death toll rise to 425. Yavatmal reported 258 cases, taking its total to 16,940, of which 943 are active. With one death, the total death toll rose to 466.
Buldhana reported 105 fresh cases but no deaths. Its total case tally stands at 16,257, of which 1,198 are active, while the total death toll remains at 254.
In western Maharashtra, Satara reported three deaths, while 69 fresh cases saw the total case tally rise to 57,795, of which 901 are active. Its death toll stands at 1,836. Neighbouring Sangli reported just 10 cases and one death as the district’s reported cases reached 51,132, of which only 481 are active. Its death toll stands at 1,790. Kolhapur reported just 11 cases as its total case tally reached 49,429, of which just 191 are active. The total death toll stands at 1,674.
Dr. Awate said 2,24,087 people across the State were in home quarantine and 1,588 were in institutional quarantine facilities.
