With 58,924 new COVID-19 cases, Maharashtra on Monday (April 19) recorded a slight dip in its daily numbers.
Besides, 351 COVID-19 deaths were recorded in the day, taking the death toll to 60,824. The case fatality rate in the state is 1.56%.
52,412 patients were discharged in the day, taking the tally to 31,59,240. The recovery rate in the state stands at 81.04%.
Currently, 37,43,968 people are in home quarantine and 27,081 people are in institutional quarantine.
The total number of active cases in Maharashtra is 6,76,520.
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 15,623 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 8,230 fresh COVID-19 cases.
The Pune circle--which includes Pune, PMC, PCMC, Solapur, Solapur MC, Satara--recorded 11,673 new cases.
The Kolhapur circle reported 2024 new cases, Aurangabad circle 3147, Latur circle 4503, Akola circle 2221, and Nagpur circle recorded 11503 new COVID-19 cases on Monday.
Meanwhile, despite imposition of 'Janata Curfew' from April 14, the COVID-19 cases and deaths are increasing unabated in Maharashtra. The state government, in a bid to further control the crowding of the people, plans to curtail the timings of the grocery shops to just four hours from 7 am to 11 am. In Jalna, which is Tope’s home district, the administration has already reduced the timings of the essential commodities shops amid rising COVID-19 cases. Besides, in Thane and in Mumbai suburbs including Bhandup and Powai the timings have already been curtailed.
‘’The government may take a decision to reduce the timings of the grocery shops as the number of COVID-19 patients do not appear to be declining despite the imposition of new restrictions. Police have been instructed to tighten the restrictions. If the virus chain needs to be broken the implementation of these curbs should be done more strictly,’’ said Tope. He added that the district administration has been asked to take decisions in the respective districts about the curtailment of timings of grocery and other essential goods shops.
