Covid-19 pandemic: Maharashtra records highest single day jump in cases

Mumbai: With 1,008 new Covid-19 cases detected in Maharashtra on Friday, the state witnessed highest single day jump in 24 hours, taking the tally to 11,506. With 26 deaths, death toll rose to 485, the state health department said. However, 106 patients were discharged after recovery.

The state health department stated, out of the total deaths, ten deaths were recorded in Pune city, five in Mumbai, three is Jalgaon district and one each Pune district, Sindhudurg, Bhiwandi, Thane, Nanded, Aurangabad and Parbhani during the day. Fifteen of 26 patients who died had high-risk comorbidities (existing health issues), the statement said

When asked regarding the sudden surge in positive cases, the health officials said, intensive contact tracing, testing and quarantining of high-risk individuals have contributed to the consistently high numbers.

Dr Anup Kumar Yadav, commissioner, (Family Welfare), and director, National Health Mission, Maharashtra said, “Its highly contagious ailments, so we are on our toes, but due to late contact tracing, several cases have been reported. It has been noted that people are hiding their contact tracing paths. All these things make the situation even more difficult. People should come forward and get themselves tested if major symptoms are noted.”

He added, “There are various groups of people coming from the untraced population, but the good thing is that many of them are coming voluntarily for testing and our health officers realise that they are contacts of existing positive patients”. According to data analysis of positive patients by the Maharashtra Medical Education and Drugs Department (MEDD), 81 per cent of the state’s patients are asymptomatic.

Notably, although the cases are rising, the mortality rate in Maharashtra is dipping.