Maharashtra on Monday (March 22) recorded 24,645 new COVID-19 cases. This comes a day after the state reported its biggest single-day surge (30,535) since the beginning of the pandemic.
Besides, 58 COVID-19 deaths were recorded in the day, taking the death toll to 53,457. The case fatality rate in the state is 2.13%.
19,463 patients were discharged in the day, taking the tally to 22,34,330. The recovery rate in the state stands at 89.22%.
Currently, 10,63,077 people are in home quarantine and 11,092 people are in institutional quarantine.
The total number of active cases in Maharashtra is 2,15,241.
The Mumbai circle --which consists of MCGM, Thane, TMC, Navi Mumbai, KDMC, Ulhasnagar MC, Bhivandi Nijampur MC, Mira Bhayandar MC, Palghar, Vasai Virar MC, Raigad, Panvel MC--recorded 6212 new cases on Monday.
The Nashik circle--which consists of Nashik, Nashik MC, Malegaon MC, Ahmednagar, Ahmednagar MC, Dhule, Dhule MC, Jalgaon, Jalgaon MC, Nandurbar--reported 3721 fresh COVID-19 cases.
The Pune circle--which includes Pune, PMC, PCMC, Solapur, Solapur MC, Satara--recorded 4737 new cases.
The Kolhapur circle reported 249 new cases, Aurangabad circle 2043, Latur circle 1733, Akola circle 1720, and Nagpur circle recorded 4231 new COVID-19 cases on Monday.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is "worried" about the recent COVID-19 surge. "Chief Minister is worried about the increase in number of COVID-19 cases. The numbers are increasing hence there will be a discussion with all officials," said Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope.
Tope said that the state has 2.10 lakh COVID-19 cases of which 85 per cent are asymptomatic. "Cases are rising in metro cities like Pune, Mumbai. Around 3 lakh testing per million are being conducted in Pune," he said. "With the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, we will have to be more prepared. We will have to activate our Jumbo COVID-19 centres which were active earlier," the Health Minister added.
Speaking about the COVID-19 vaccination drive in Maharashtra, Tope said that so far they have vaccinated 45 lakh people and every day 3 lakh people are being vaccinated. "We are making arrangements so that people can get vaccinated at a place near to them," he said. "Earlier we had a rule that only hospitals with 100+ beds can be given permission for vaccination but now vaccination can happen at hospitals with even 20+ beds," Tope added.
