Maharashtra crosses 6.6 million Covid-19 cases

Maharashtra crossed 6.6 million Covid-19 cases on Saturday. The total cases have reached 6,601,551 after 1,701 fresh Covid-19 infections were reported. It was the eighth consecutive day the state reported fewer than 2,000 infections.

Maharashtra crossed 6.6 million Covid-19 cases on Saturday. The total cases have reached 6,601,551 after 1,701 fresh Covid-19 infections were reported. It was the eighth consecutive day the state reported fewer than 2,000 infections.

Maharashtra crossed 6.6 million Covid-19 cases on Saturday. The total cases have reached 6,601,551 after 1,701 fresh Covid-19 infections were reported. It was the eighth consecutive day the state reported fewer than 2,000 infections. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)

On Friday, 1,632 cases were reported.

The tally of active cases further reduced to 24,022 as 1,781 recoveries were reported in the past 24 hours. It also saw 33 casualties and the total fatalities stood at 139,998. Ahmednagar reported the highest toll at 11 deaths.

Of them, 10 were reported in the district and one in the city.

So far, the state has managed to control the Covid-19 pandemic even after lifting most of the curbs and number of festivals being celebrated in the past over a month.

The gradual decline in the daily cases has continued for the past few months. After schools and religious places were started in the first week of this month, cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes were reopened in the state after a gap of six months with 50% capacity from Friday.

Health experts are looking at the situation as the end of the second wave in the state. However, there are concerns that lifting of most of the curbs and festivals may lead to a spike in cases post Diwali.

“We definitely are seeing the end of the second wave, fewer daily cases and definitely in a better space in the coming days. Only thing is we need to be cautious and follow all the Covid-19 protocols. As far as Maharashtra is concerned, we are seeing better times ahead,” said Dr Shashank Joshi, a member of the Maharashtra task force.

With 454 cases, Mumbai again reported the highest number of cases in the entire state and its tally reached a total of 754,107 infections till date. It also recorded five fatalities, taking the toll to 16,207. In the past 24 hours, the state tested 136,664 samples and had a positivity rate of 1.24%. However, the overall positivity rate of the state stood at 10.69%, according to the data issued by the state health department.

The state also vaccinated 553,389 people on Saturday and has administered a total of 95,141,631 doses till date, according to the data available on Co-Win portal.