In a yet another significant spike, 16,620 new COVID-19 cases were reported on Sunday (March 14) in Maharashtra. This is for the first time this year that over 16,000 COVID-19 cases have been recorded in the state in a single day. The previous highest single-day surge this year was 15,817 on Friday, March 12.
Besides, 50 COVID-19 deaths were recorded in the day, taking the death toll to 52,861. The case fatality rate in the state is 2.28%.
8,861 patients were discharged in the day, taking the tally to 21,34,072. The recovery rate in the state stands at 92.21%.
Currently, 5,83,731 people are in home quarantine and 5,493 people are in institutional quarantine.
The total number of active cases in Maharashtra is 1,26,231.
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 3676 new cases on Sunday.
The Nashik circle--which consists of Nashik, Nashik MC, Malegaon MC, Ahmednagar, Ahmednagar MC, Dhule, Dhule MC, Jalgaon, Jalgaon MC, Nandurbar--reported 2776 fresh COVID-19 cases.
The Pune circle--which includes Pune, PMC, PCMC, Solapur, Solapur MC, Satara--recorded 3609 new cases.
The Kolhapur circle reported 106 new cases, Aurangabad circle 1289, Latur circle 914, Akola circle 1388, and Nagpur circle recorded 2862 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday, in an ultimatum, asked the hotel, restaurant and mall operators to strictly follow norms to avoid a fresh lockdown.
Expressing serious concerns over the crowding, lack of compliance of COVID-19 norms and SOPs, Thackeray said it will not be tolerated as there is a possibility that the daily positive cases may surge to 25,000 by April.
“The situation is still under control but hotels, restaurants and malls should abide by the rules and not be forced to carry out strict lockdowns," he said.
“This time, however, it is visible in buildings, bungalows, societies. This is because this section of the society has started visiting each other in the last few days, going to hotels, malls, so it is spreading among all the members of the family. Therefore, self-discipline is a must,” he added.