Maharashtra COVID-19 crisis: Mumbai, Pune now India’s two worst-affected regions

Mumbai: Maharashtra on Thursday recorded a new high of COVID-19 cases with 25,833 new patients, surpassing the previous single-day rise of 24,886 registered on September 11, last year.

India’s two worst-affected regions continue to be Mumbai Circle and Pune Circle with the highest number of cases and fatalities. Adding 5,190 new cases, the Mumbai Circle witnessed its progressive total gone up to 776,579, besides 20,009 deaths till date. While, Pune Circle ranks next with 5,583 new cases taking the total to 577,369 and the death toll at 11,895.

Simultaneously, the deaths in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) have crossed the 20,000 mark to reach 20,009 with 14 deaths one day - making it the worst-hit in the country.

The latest developments came a day after Maharashtra total deaths jump past the 53,000 mark, exactly a year since the first COVID-19 fatality was recorded on March 17, last year. With 58 deaths on Thursday, the toll stands now stands at 53,138, with a fatality rate of 2.22 per cent while the recovery rate has dropped to 90.79 per cent now. As stated by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Health Minister Rajesh Tope earlier, the death rate is low in the current wave although the high number of cases poses a serious concern in the state.

The burden of cases and fatalities is heavy in Mumbai, Nashik, and Nagpur circles, with Aurangabad and Latur circles also recording increasing figures in recent weeks.

The number of people sent to home quarantine shot up from 671,620 to 813, 211, while the figure of those in institutional quarantine increased from 6,738 to 7,079 on Thursday.

Despite the Covid-19 vaccination drive underway all over Maharashtra, several districts and cities are already clamped with some or the other forms of restrictions since the past few days. However, the government has broadly indicated that a second total lockdown may not be possible in the current scenario and given the public sentiments.