Maharashtra now has 1,078 coronavirus cases; Mumbai accounts for nearly 65% cases, deaths
As of Wednesday morning, Maharashtra has reported 1,078 cases and 64 deaths, of which 686 cases and 40 deaths are from Mumbai city alone (Representational Image, Courtesy: ANI)
The steep rise in the number of coronavirus cases continued on Wednesday as Maharashtra saw hundreds of new cases, taking its total COVID-19 tally to well above 1,000.
Maharashtra is the worst-hit Indian state and the first in the country to report over 1,000 COVID-19 cases.
The state witnessed 150 new cases on Tuesday and another 60 as of Wednesday morning, taking the total number of coronavirus cases to 1,078. Of these, maximum cases are from Mumbai (686), followed by Pune (139).
Simultaneously, the death toll due to COVID-19 rose by 12 to 64 across the state. Of the 12 fresh deaths in the state, six are from Mumbai, three from Pune and one each from Satara, Nagpur and Mira Bhayandar.
“The state saw 12 deaths, out of which only one person has a known travel history to the USA. Other victims have no travel history but they are above 50 years old and have some existing illness like diabetes or hypertension,” a health official was quoted as saying.
Out of the 64 deaths in the state so far, 40 are from Mumbai, 8 from Pune, 3 from Thane, 2 each from Navi Mumbai and Vasai-Virar, 1 each from Mira Bhayandar, Palghar, Satara, Nagpur, Buldana, Jalgaon, Aurangabad, Jalgaon, and Amravati.
To date, the state has tested close to 21,000 people. Meanwhile, a total of 34,695 people have been put under home quarantine and 4,008 others are under the institutional quarantine.
Amid the steady rise in the number of fresh cases, the state cabinet on Tuesday discussed the possibility of extending the lockdown by two weeks in Mumbai and Pune, which have seen maximum cases.
Earlier, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope also said that the lockdown in these areas may continue after the 21-day nationwide lockdown ends on April 15. However, a final call will be taken this week.
