Coronavirus in Maharashtra: Number COVID-19 cases cross in state crosses 2000-mark in a day

For the tenth time in the last 11 days, the number of new corona cases in the state crossed the 2,000-mark, with 2,190 new cases and 85 Covid-19 deaths being reported on Thursday, taking the total to 59,546 and 1,982 deaths until now. The state government has pointed out that around 38,939 cases are currently under treatment.

Thirty-eight of the 85 deaths were in Mumbai, followed by 10 in Pune, nine in Satara, seven in Solapur, five in Akola, four each in Thane and Vasai-Virar, three in Aurangabad, two in NaviMumbai and one each in Raigad and Jalgaon.

State officials attributed the high fatalities to book-keeping and said “Of the total deaths reported on Thursday, 37 deaths occurred in the last two days and the remaining 58 were from the period of May 15 to May 25.”

According to the public health department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the city has recorded 1,438 new cases and 38 deaths, which brings the total positive count to 35,273, with 1,135 deaths so far.

“Slum pockets have emerged as our biggest challenge as it is difficult to get people to understand social distancing and hygiene practices,” said Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani, adding that many are concealing symptoms and refusing to cooperate in door-to-door surveys, fearing being taken away to quarantine facilities. In addition to house-to-house-surveys, the BMC is now planning to send mobile x-ray vans into slum communities, to detect signs of pneumonia early.

Of the 4,19,417 laboratory samples, 3,59,871 were negative and 59,546, positive. So far, 18,616 have recovered and been discharged. Currently, 6,12,745 people are in home quarantine and 35,122 people are in institutional quarantine.