For the first time since Unlock 1.0, Maharashtra reported less than 4,000 COVID-19 cases and 100 fatalities on Monday. The state witnessed 3,645 new cases and 84 deaths in the last 24 hours, pushing its tally to 16,48,665 and 43,348, respectively. The previous lowest COVID-19 fatalities was 76 reported on June 1 and lowest fresh cases was 3,607 recorded on June 11.
Similarly, after two months, Mumbai recorded less than 1,000 cases. 804 new cases and 37 deaths were reported on Monday, taking the corresponding count to 2,52,087 and 10,099 till date. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 recovery rate of Maharashtra and Mumbai has increased to 89 per cent and 88 per cent, respectively.
The state continued to report under 10,000 cases for the eighth day straight. Health experts said that the next three weeks are going to be crucial with the festive season in full swing.
“With further unlocking and a festive season round the corner, it will be crucial that people do not become negligent. Though the cases are on a decline, the next two to three weeks will be crucial to see if this curve continues to move downwards or reverses,” said a Health Department official.
Maharashtra’s CFR has, however, been hovering around 2.65 per cent. It has been dropping significantly at the national level and in some other states. From 3.24 per cent on August 25, it dropped to 2.67 per cent on September 26 and 2.63 per cent on October 25.
The daily caseload has been steadily coming down over the past four weeks. In the first 25 days of October, 260,574 cases and 6,602 deaths were reported, against the 508,216 cases and 10,178 deaths reported between September 1 and September 25. In August, 281,705 cases and 7,800 deaths were reported in the first 25 days.
Dr Sanjay Pattivar, public health consultant, said that if the daily caseload remains low till November 15, we can say that a downward trend has begun. “We will have to wait for at least two incubation cycles of 14 days each to assess if the unlocking measures and festive season have led to the spread of virus. It is true that, for the last four weeks, the cases are on a decline. However, people should not let their guard down. It may lead to a rise in cases. At least half the citizens on the street do not follow the COVID-19 protocol. The government should launch a campaign to create awareness about the importance of these things,” he said.
