Mumbai: Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Monday said the rate of doubling of COVID-19 cases in the state has slowed down further to seven days from five days earlier.

Tope said some health experts are predicting a spurt in coronavirus cases in the state between April 30 and May 15.

"However, this will happen only if people violate lockdown norms," the minister said.

The current phase of lockdown will remain in force till May 3.

In a message issued late in the evening, Tope stated that out of the total 76,000 tests for coronavirus conducted in the state so far, Mumbai city alone accounts for more than 50,000.

The rate of doubling of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra has slowed down further to seven days. A few days back, it was five days," he said.

Out of the 76,000 tests carried out for COVID-19 in the state so far, 50,000 have been done in Mumbai city alone. This is chiefly because Mumbai has a very high number of positive cases," the health minister said.

He defended the state government's decision of not undertaking large-scale testing of asymptomatic people (those not showing signs of the viral infection).

If a person does not show symptoms, his test may come negative. But the incubation period of the coronavirus is 14 days..so he or she may develop the symptoms later.

"Hence, we are not doing asymptomatic tests in large numbers, Tope said.

Maharashtra has so far recorded 4,666 COVID-19 cases, the highest in a state.