Coronavirus lockdown | Maharashtra reports 2,682 new cases, 116 deaths

Total case tally crosses 60,000-mark; 8,381 patients discharged

Maharashtra reported yet another big spike of 2,682 new COVID-19 cases on Friday as its tally breached the 60,000-mark to rise to 62,228. A record-high 116 deaths pushed the State’s fatalities to 2,098.

Alos read: Coronavirus | Maharashtra records highest single-day deaths

However, the rise in cases and fatalities was offset with the State reporting its highest single-day recoveries, with 8,381 patients being discharged on Friday, taking the total number of discharged till date to 26,997.

Doubling time

“The patient doubling time figure for the State is now 15.7 days from the 11 days in the previous week, while the recovery rate stands at 43.38%,” said State Surveillance Officer, Dr. Pradeep Awate.

He clarified that of the 116 deaths reported, 46 had occurred in the last couple of days while the remaining fatalities are from the period between May 16 and May 26.

“About 65% of the deaths reported had high-risk co-morbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma and heart disease,” said Dr. Awate.

1,447 cases in Mumbai

Mumbai city alone reported 1,447 of the new cases, as its tally crossed the 36,000 mark to reach 36,932 cases. Of these, 19,745 were active ones.

As many as 38 of the deaths reported were from Mumbai, to take the city’s death toll to 1,173.

Jalgaon district in north Maharashtra reported 17 deaths, to take its tally to 69. Dhule district reported seven fatalities as its toll climbed to 16, despite the district having only 49 active cases. Nashik district’s death toll has risen to 60, with five deaths being reported from Malegaon, a virus hotspot in the region.

However, there is heartening news from the district as it currently has only 192 active cases of 1,070 reported cases, with 818 patients said to have been recovered.

13 deaths in Pune

Thirteen deaths were reported from Pune district. While Pune’s death toll, as per State Health Department figures, stood at 314, Pune district authorities said the figure had risen to 315.

Navi Mumbai reported nine deaths, to take its toll to 50, while five fatalities were reported from Aurangabad, taking the district’s toll to 65.

Dr. Awate said the State’s mortality rate due to infection stood at 3.37% (higher than the country’s rate of 2.86%).

Pune district’s case tally, as per State health department figures, has risen to 7,223 with the district reporting more than 180 new cases. Of these, 3,484 cases were active.

Besides Mumbai, the surge in fresh cases in Thane in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) continued unabated, with more than 220 new cases taking the district’s total tally to 3,986. Navi Mumbai reported 71 new cases as its total tally reached 2,461.

Bed capacity up

Considering the increasing number of patients, the bed capacity across the State was being increased as per the requirement in the three-tier system of COVID-19 health facilities, said Dr. Awate.

He said the State presently had 2,78, 459 isolation beds (excluding ICU beds) in 2,572 medical facilities. The State had 8,501 ICU beds of which 3,067 were equipped with ventilators.

Till date, 4,33,557 laboratory samples collected and 62,228 had tested positive. Presently, 5,35,467 persons were in home quarantine and 35,967 in institutional quarantine facilities, said Dr. Awate, adding that there were 2,941 active containment zones in the State.