Maharashtra on Thursday reported 5,368 new cases of Covid-19, with capital Mumbai alone accounting for 3,555 infections on Thursday, the state health department said, adding that the state added 198 more cases of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 that causes Covid-19, taking the tally to 450.
Maharashtra also reported 22 Covid-related deaths on Thursday, taking the toll in the state to 141,518 so far, the health department said, adding that no fatalities were reported in Mumbai. The number of active patients in the state stood at 18,217 on Thursday. the health department said.
The surge in cases has added to the fears of a possible third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the state, which on Wednesday had reported 3,900 new infections.
State health minister Rajesh Tope said the number of Covid-19 cases was doubling every two days, with Mumbai reporting a test positive rate of 8.48% on Thursday. ”This has added to our worries. I urge people to avoid crowding as it will lead to a surge in cases,” he said.
Of the 198 new Omicron cases confirmed in the state, 190 are from Mumbai, four from Thane while Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Satara and Nanded reported one case each. The health department said that only 30 new Omicron patients have an international travel history.
{{/usCountry}}Of the 198 new Omicron cases confirmed in the state, 190 are from Mumbai, four from Thane while Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Satara and Nanded reported one case each. The health department said that only 30 new Omicron patients have an international travel history.
{{/usCountry}}According to the health department, Pimpri-Chinchwad recorded the first death of an Omicron patient. “A 52-year-old man with a travel history to Nigeria died of heart attack on December 28, at Yashwantrao Chavan Hospital run by Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. The patient has had diabetes for the last 13 years and his death is due to non-Covid reasons. Coincidently, today’s (Thursday) NIV report reveals that he was infected with the Omicron virus,” a release issued by the state health department said.
Meanwhile, a total of 125 Omicron patients have been released from isolation so far after their RT-PCR test results came negative.
There has been a continuous surge in Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra. The daily caseload increased from 767 on December 1 to 1,201 on December 22. It touched 3,900 on Wednesday. The number of active patients in Maharashtra has also seen a corresponding rise from 7,391 on December 1 to 8,426 on December 24 and 14,065 on Wednesday.