In its highest single-day jump in nearly six months, Maharashtra reported 13,659 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday as its active case tally nudged the one lakh mark to reach 99,008.
The majority of the cases were reported from Pune, Nagpur and Mumbai city — all of which recorded over 1,500 new cases, while Nashik and Jalgaon in north Maharashtra saw an alarming rise in fresh infections.
As many as 9,913 patients were discharged in the last 24 hours, with the State’s recovery rate now down to 93.21%. However, the fatality rate remained comparatively lower with 54 deaths pushing the toll to 52,610.
While the total case tally has reached 22,52,057, the cumulative recoveries stand at 20,99,207. “Of 1,71,15,534 laboratory samples tested so far, 22,52,057 (with the case positivity rate down to 13.16%) have returned positive with over 93,000 samples being tested in the last 24 hours,” State Surveillance Officer Dr. Pradeep Awate said. The State’s case fatality rate has dipped to 2.34%.
Pune district reported a spike of more than 2,550 new cases to take its total case tally to 4,27,162. As per the State Health Department figures, just two deaths were reported as the fatality toll touched 8,105. However, as per the district administration, 11 deaths were reported with the toll rising to 9,341 while the active case tally surged past the 15,000 mark to reach 15,687.
Mumbai city recorded 1,539 new cases, taking its total tally to 3,37,134 of whom 9,973 are active. Five fatalities took the city’s death toll to 11,515.
Nagpur district in Vidarbha logged a record single-day jump of more than 1,800 new cases, taking the district’s total cases to 1,64,698 of whom 12,724 are active. Five deaths were recorded as the toll climbed to 3,552.
Some relief was accorded in the form of a relative decline in cases in Amravati district, which was recently under a lockdown. As opposed to daily spikes of more than 700 cases, the district added just 401 new ones, taking its total tally to 41,582 of whom 5,259 are active. Seven deaths saw the toll go up to 550.
In contrast, north Maharashtra witnessed steadily rising spikes. Nashik registered more than 1,000 cases to take its total cases to 1,33,539 of whom 4,525 are active. Three deaths took the toll to 2,084.
Neighbouring Jalgaon reported more than 700 new cases and six deaths as its total case tally touched 66,284 of whom 5,029 are active. Its death toll has reached 1,526.
Cases in western Maharashtra remained relatively under control. In a higher than usual surge, Satara recorded 193 new cases as the total case tally rose to 60,153 of whom 1,723 are active. A single fatality took its toll to 1,854.
Sangli added 43 cases and no deaths as the district’s total cases climbed to 51,643 of whom only 616 are active.
Kolhapur logged 22 cases and one death as its total tally touched 50,008 of whom just 290 are active, while its death toll climbed to 1,684.
Dr. Awate said that currently, 4,71,187 people across the State were in home quarantine and 4,244 were in institutional quarantine facilities.
