Mumbai: Maharashtra's COVID-19 fatalities again crossed three-digit mark, for the first time since December 4. As the state grapples with the "second wave", Maharashtra reported over 28,000 new cases were on Tuesday.

The state reported 132 deaths, after 127 on December 4, taking its tally to 53,589. A day after crossing the 25 lakh cumulative total of infections, the state's new infections rose from 24,645 on Monday to 28,699.

Mumbai remained in the 3,000-plus range for the second consecutive day, recording 3,514 new cases, taking its tally to 369,451, and 11,604 deaths. The state recovery rate dropped from 89.22 per cent to 88.73 per cent, while the death rate stood at 2.12 per cent, and the number of active cases jumped up to 230,641.

Pune led with 19 new fatalities, while there were 13 deaths each in Nashik and Nagpur, nine each in Thane and Nanded, eight in Mumbai, seven in Amravati, six in Yavatmal, five in Palghar, four each in Raigad, Nandurbar, Solapur, Beed, Wardha, and Chandrapur, three each in Ahmednagar, Sangli, Parbhani and Akola, two each in Aurangabad, and Latur, and one each in Dhule, Satara, and Osmanabad.

The number of people sent to home isolation shot above the million mark to 11,77,265 while those shunted to institutional quarantine increased to 11,887 on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope talking to media persons in Pune on Monday cautioned that a possible lockdown would be enforced in cities that continue to record maximum cases, including Pune.

After meeting CM Uddhav Thackeray, Tope said, “CM Thackeray told me that if the number of daily cases in the state remains in the range of 25,000 to 30,000 for coming days, then we will have to take some strict action. He is of the opinion that if the numbers continue to rise, we will have to impose lockdown in some cities.