Image Source: The Economic Times
Mumbai: Covid-19 continued its deadly prowl in Maharashtra with 26 new deaths and 1,008 new cases – the highest single day tally so far – while Pune crossed the 100 fatalities figure, health officials said here on Friday, as the Centre extended the lockdown by two weeks till May 17.
This takes the state death toll from 459 on Thursday to 485 and the total patients from 10,498 to 11,506, leaving health authorities in consternation.
Of the latest fatalities, 5 were recorded in Mumbai, taking the toll to 295 and the number of Covid-19 positive patients in the city shot up to 7,812, with a staggering jump of 751 new cases, the highest ever in the city.
Pune recorded 11 fresh deaths, Jalgaon three, Thane two, and Aurangabad one, besides Parbhani, Nanded and Sindhudurg recording their first Covid deaths.
The dead comprised 18 men and 8 women, and more than 50 per cent of them suffered from other serious ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, heart problems and asthma.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (Thane Division) continued to cause big worries with 320 Covid-19 deaths and 9,081 patients.
Pune Division follows at a distant second slot with 107 dead and 1,456 patients.
The next area of concern is Nashik Division with 30 deaths and 365 positive cases, followed by Aurangabad Division with 9 deaths and 189 patients, Akola Divison with 9 deaths and 169 patients.
Significantly, both Aurangabad Division comprising Aurangabad city and district, Parbhani city and district, plus Jalna and Hingoli districts, and Akola Division consisting of Akola city and district, Amravati city and district, plus Yavatmal, Buldhana and Washim districts – have overshot Nagpur Division which has recorded 2 deaths and 144 patients.
On the positive side, 106 fully cured patients returned home on Friday, taking the number of those discharged to 1,879.
Guardian Minister of Nashik Chhagan Bhujbal on Friday released two public service awareness films – ‘Stay At Home, Stay Safe’ and ‘Stay Home, Stay Positive’ – made by Percept Ltd in collaboration with Nashik police.
Launched in the presence of Nashik Divisional Commissioner Rajaram Mane, Collector Suraj Mandhare, Municipal Commissioner Radharam Game, Inspector-General of Police Nashik Range Chhering Dorje and Nashik Police Commissioner Vishwas Nangre-Patil, the films have been anchored by well-known Marathi actor Subhash Bhave.
Meanwhile, the number of people in home quarantine decreased from 168,266 to 163,026 while those in institutional quarantine increased from 10,695 to 11,677, and the state’s containment zones increased from 733 to 792.
As many as 10,849 surveillance squads have fanned out to survey a population of nearly 4.53 million around the state.
