Covid second wave: April accounted for 39% of Maharashtra’s cases, 20.58% of deaths

The second wave of Covid-19 in Maharashtra has been massive with nearly 39% (38

The second wave of Covid-19 in Maharashtra has been massive with nearly 39% (38.88%) of the state’s total cases and 20.58% of its fatalities coming in April alone. Mumbai too saw a huge spike in its tally as it recorded 36% of its total cases and nearly 11% (10.93%) of its deaths in April alone.

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Maharashtra, on Saturday, reported 63,282 fresh cases and 802 fatalities, taking the total tally and death toll to 4,665,754 and 69,615. The state’s active case count stood at 663,758. Mumbai, meanwhile, reported 3,897 new cases and 90 fatalities.

Last month alone Maharashtra recorded 1.78 million (1,789,492) cases and 14,164 deaths.

While Mumbai added 233,698 cases and 1,435 deaths in April, the number of cases is significantly higher from September 2020 when Maharashtra peaked its first wave.

In the first wave, Maharashtra saw its peak on September 11 with 24,886 cases. The state added 591,905 and 12,079 deaths in September alone. The cases added in September were 42% of the total cases then. The deaths reported in September was nearly 33% (32.94%) of the total deaths. The state had tested 2,646,276 in September and a positivity rate of 22.36%

In the previous wave, Mumbai had recorded 59,463 cases in September which were 29% of the city’s total cases then. It reported 1271 deaths in September, which was 14.23% of the city’s total fatalities then.

The high numbers have also resulted due to ramped-up testing, including RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen Tests. In April, the state tested 7,314,139 samples and had a positivity rate of 24.46%.

Dr Shashank Joshi, a member of the state’s Covid task force said, “The second wave has hit Maharashtra massively. It was predicted in October-November last year. The second wave was always anticipated to be ferocious and more lethal. However, the upside was that the positivity rate was under control even though the sheer number was high.”

Meanwhile, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray directed authorities in Mumbai, Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad to become self-sufficient with regards to oxygen availability. Thackeray, during a meeting with officials from these municipal corporations, said that authorities must keep the health infrastructure ready to treat children, as it is suspected that the third wave could hit children.

Thackeray, according to a statement from the chief minister’s office, said, “The first wave saw many senior citizens and people with comorbidities getting affected. In the second wave, people between the age of 30 and 50 were affected more, along with several cases of children contracting the virus. This could increase further in the possible third wave, therefore we need to prepare and plan. Hospitals should have treatment facilities for children.”

The chief minister also said that a separate control room should be set up to ensure that patients with mild symptoms that isolated at their homes are admitted to the hospital at the right time to save their lives. He said that the responsibility of keeping in contact with such patients should be given to experienced and retired doctors. The decision was taken after it was observed the condition of people with mild symptoms suddenly grew critical.

The cases are now declining in urban areas, while semi-urban and rural areas are stabilising. The deaths, however, are still high with the state adding over 800 fatalities for the past three days.

Thackeray cautioned the corporations in Mumbai, MMR, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad and said, “Currently, many municipal corporations are seeing the daily figures stabilising, but the threat has not passed yet. Looking at the possibility of a third wave, we must make all corporations self-sufficient in terms of medical oxygen supply. They should not depend on others for oxygen in any situation. They should ensure that there is enough stock of drugs and ventilators.”

Thackeray also asked corporations to be prepared for monsoon-related ailments. He said that immediate treatment should be given to patients coming in with monsoon-related ailments including fever, cholera, jaundice, leptospirosis, dengue etc.