With 33 confirmed cases, Maharashtra has highest coronavirus cases in India

With 15 new cases reported as of Sunday, Maharashtra now has 33 confirmed cases of coronavirus, surpassing Kerala and emerging as the Indian state worst-hit by the global pandemic.

Spike in coronavirus cases in Maharashtra

The number of people infected by the novel coronavirus in Maharashtra climbed to 33 on Sunday, with a 59-year-old woman and a man becoming the latest COVID-19 cases in the state.

While the woman who was admitted to a hospital in Aurangabad had a travel history to Russia and Kazakhstan, the man from Pimpri-Chinchwad township in Pune had travelled to Japan and Dubai before his return on March 3.

According to the Health department, 95 new cases of suspected coronavirus were quarantined at various hospitals in the state on Sunday.

“The woman who was tested positive to novel coronavirus is being treated at Dhoot Hospital in Aurangabad. She had a travel history of Russia and Kazakhstan,” the Health Department said in a release.

The man from Pimpri-Chinchwad became the 16th case from the township and Pune to test positive for COVID-19.

“The person was admitted to Naidu Hospital here on March 14. The result of his swab sample, which was sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), has returned positive,” he said, adding that the person is undergoing treatment and is in stable condition,” said Pune district collector Naval Kishore Ram.

As per the Health Department statement, the man had travelled to Japan and Dubai during February 23 and March 3.

Maharashtra accounts for highest coronavirus cases in India

India has witnessed 110 positive cases and two coronavirus-related deaths so far. The number spiked after 19 new COVID-19 cases were detected as of Sunday night, of which 15 were reported from Maharashtra alone.

With 33 confirmed cases, the state has surpassed Kerala and now accounts for the highest number of coronavirus cases in the country. It is followed by Kerala (24), Uttar Pradesh (12), Delhi (7) and Karnataka (7).

Of the 33 coronavirus positive cases in Maharashtra, nine are from Pimpri-Chinchwad. Other areas include Pune (7), Mumbai (5), Nagpur (4), Yavatmal (2), Thane (1), Kalyan (1), Raigad (1), Navi Mumbai (1), Ahmednagar (1), and Aurangabad (1).

According to the health department, as of now 1.81 lakh passengers were screened at Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur airports. Also, 95 new people suspected of coronavirus infection were quarantined at various hospitals in the state on Sunday.

As of Sunday night, the virus has infected 163,930 people globally and led to 6,420 deaths across 141 countries.

Restrictions put up to prevent further spread

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government has invoked the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897, declaring coronavirus as an epidemic in the state, to tackle the virus outbreak.

The act gives wide-ranging powers to officials to enforce measures, including that of lockdown and quarantine, required to tackle such a pandemic.

The state has gone into a shutdown mode with the closure of all schools, colleges, malls, swimming pools, gyms, public places, cancellation of all public events, religious processions, etc. till March 31 to stop the spread of the virus.

On Sunday, the Mumbai Police invoked section 144 of the CrPC to prohibit tour operators from conducting any kind of group tours to foreign or domestic destinations till March 31.

To prevent spread of #COVIDー19, Mumbai Police has issued order prohibiting any tour involving group of people travelling together to a foreign/domestic destination organised by pvt tour operators or otherwise using powers u/s 144 CrPC. Order shall remain in force till 31st March pic.twitter.com/1FeO5ZwIHG

— ANI (@ANI) March 15, 2020

Meanwhile, Health Minister Rajesh Tope has said that testing and treatment facilities available in Mumbai and Pune for coronavirus will be enhanced over the next 15-20 days.