Maharashtra continues to report more than 8,000 new coronavirus cases for the third consecutive day on Friday, with the state reporting 8,333 new infections and 48 COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours. With this, the state’s total number of coronavirus cases and deaths rose to 21,38,154 52,041 respectively.
The state has reported 24,842 cases in the past three days, with an average of 8,280 cases per day. Similarly, the city has reported 3,295 cases during the same period with an average of 1,098 cases. The active cases in the state have increased to 67,608 from 35,633 which was till February 10 and it means nearly 89 per cent increase in the last 16 days. Mumbai has also witnessed 73 per cent rise in active cases during the same period.
Meanwhile, Mumbai reported more than 1,000 COVID-19 cases for the third straight day on Friday, with the city reporting 1,034 new cases and three fatalities in the last 24 hours, increasing the total count to 3,23,877 and 11,461 deaths.
Meanwhile, the doubling rate and weekly growth of cases in the city is decreasing and increasing respectively on a daily basis in the last seven days. On Friday, the doubling rate dropped to 256 days from 371 days which was until February 20, while weekly growth rate also increased to 0.27 per cent from 0.19 per cent during the same period.
Dr Deepak Baid, president, Association of Medical Consultants, said the main reason for a surge in the positivity rate in the last one week is the violation of COVID norms by citizens. Office Goers are not wearing masks in office, due to which the chances of infection increase. “Even though cases have increased, there is no need to panic. I urge citizens to wear masks whether they are in office or visiting crowded places, so that they will not contract infection,” he said.
