Mumbai: COVID-19 continues to create havoc in Maharashtra as the state on Sunday reported 16,620 new cases taking the state tally to e 23 lakh mark. The 'industrial triangle' of Maharashtra comprising the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Pune and Nashik, are re-emerging as among the worst hotspots in India.

The Mumbai circle which comprises Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad has reported 3,676 new cases including 1,963 only in the India’s commercial capital, taking the total to 7,59,860 and toll to 19,960.

On the other side, Pune division that includes Pune, Solapur and Satara, recorded 3,609 new cases taking the tally to 560,038, while total deaths stand at 11,861. Also, the Nashik circle which includes Nashik, Ahmednagar, Dhule, Jalgaon and Nandurbar districts reported for 2,776 new cases taking tally to 5,372.

The first two COVID-19 cases of the state were recorded in Pune on March 9, last year and have now gone up to 23,14,413 documented since then, coming to nearly 20 per cent of all the infections notched in India. The current spike of 1,00,000 cases is the quickest, reported within eight days since the state touched the 22 lakh mark on March 6.

In terms of daily cases, Maharashtra has bounced back by six months to September 25 when the state reported 17,794 cases. With 50 more fatalities, the state's progressive fatalities have increased to to 52,816 now, the highest in India.

The increasing case-load notwithstanding, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government has yet to announce any plans for fresh restrictions or lockdown in Mumbai. However, Pune and Nashik have already imposed a series of restrictions since the past few days to break the virus chain.

On Sunday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray cautioned about the new lockdown in the state.