2nd Covid-19 wave in state under control, says Maharashtra govt

The government also said that 50 per cent beneficiaries above the age of 45 have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, while the corresponding figure for those in the 18-45 age group was 25 per cent.

The Maharashtra government noted on Wednesday that the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in the state is under control. The government announced this in a statement after a meeting of the state cabinet.

"No new Covid-19 patient in Nandurbar, while the number of new patients was less than 10 in six districts each. Eight districts had less than 100 new cases each. The latest test positivity rate stood at 2.4 per cent," the statement read. On the vaccination front, it said that 50 per cent beneficiaries above the age of 45 have received their first dose, while the corresponding figure for those in the 18-45 age group was 25 per cent.

Though Maharashtra's cumulative Covid-19 infection tally is the highest in the country, the state has, over the last three days, logged less than 5000 infections each day, as per government data. On August 15, 4797 people from across the state tested positive for the viral disease, while the number of those who returned a positive test result on August 16 and 17 was recorded at 4145 and 4408, respectively. Also, there were 130 related fatalities on August 15, 100 people succumbed on August 16 and there were 116 deaths on August 17.

Overall, Maharashtra has reported 6,401,213 Covid-19 cases thus far, including 6,201,168 recoveries and 135,255 related deaths. The state has conducted 51,291,383 tests till now.

Beginning August 15, local train services in the state's capital city of Mumbai became open to members of public fully vaccinated against Covid-19. The city's infection tally currently stands at 739,722, including 15,925 deaths, as per official data.