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Maharashtra’s Covid-19 toll crosses 60-K; state sees 68,631 new cases
Covid-19 cases and deaths in Maharashtra continued to rise on Sunday as the state witnesses shortage of beds, oxygen and Remdesivir injection
Covid-19 cases and deaths in Maharashtra continued to rise on Sunday as the state witnesses shortage of beds, oxygen and Remdesivir injection. The state reported the highest single-day spike of 68,631 cases, taking the tally to 3,839,338.
Maharashtra also breached a grim milestone of 60,000 deaths after adding 503 deaths – the highest single-day surge after 215 days – when 515 deaths were reported on September 15. The state’s Covid-19 toll now stands at 60, 473. The latest 10,000 deaths were reported in 99 days, after the 50,000-mark was crossed on January 9. Maharashtra had breached the 40,000 deaths-mark on October 10.
Mumbai reported 8,468 cases and 53 deaths on Sunday, followed by Pune (6,541 cases and 36 deaths), Nagpur with 4,724 cases and 22 deaths and Nashik (2,049 cases and three deaths).
Currently, there are 670,388 active cases in the state. Pune has the most (122,486) number of active cases, followed by Mumbai (86,688).
Dr Satyendranath Mehra, medical director at Masina Hospital in Byculla, attributed the high mortality rate to the shortage of oxygen cylinders and ICU (intensive care unit) beds. “We are seeing the shortage of these essential things along with medicines like Remdesivir,” said Dr Mehra.
The state continued to face shortage of both Remdesivir and Tocilizumab drugs, leaving patients relatives anxious. Health minister Rajesh Tope said, “Local authorities need to distribute these doses according to the need of the patients.”
He added that citizens must not ignore any symptoms.
“People need to test if they experience any symptom. My study has shown that people are dying if they don’t act on time,” said Tope.
The health minister also said that police chiefs should launch crackdown on crowding and citizens should cooperate in following the strict restrictions imposed on them.
“We are getting at least 70,000 cases and more than 80% are asymptomatic. I am sure the peak will come down in five days. But we need to break this chain and not indulge in any behaviour which will increase the cases, and must comply with Covid-19 appropriate behaviour,” said Tope, adding that people need to vaccinate irrespective of any comorbidities.
There were 126,138 vaccinations given on Sunday. Tope said the state has the capacity to vaccinate 800,000 people per day.
“We have asked the Centre to provide us with at least 4,000,000 doses every week,” said Tope.
Amid the ongoing curfew imposed from April 15 in the state, the police and local authorities in a few districts imposed stricter curbs. In Jalgaon, a hospital’s licence was cancelled as it was found that doctors and nurses were not wearing PPE (personal protective equipment) kits while attending Covid-19 patients. The curbs in places such as Nanded, Wardha and Amravati were further tightened as the local administration allowed all essential shops to remain open only till afternoon. Only medical stores will be exempted from this order.
Dr Mehra said the restrictions need to be tightened further. “We are still seeing people without masks, not maintaining distance and roaming unnecessarily. This needs to be stopped and authorities need to be strict.”
