Maharashtra records highest single-day spike with 59,907 new Covid-19 cases

The state’s total tally stood at 3,173,261 and death toll 56,652. The number of active cases also crossed the 500,000-mark with 501,559 active infections

Maharashtra on Wednesday reported 59,907 new Covid-19 infections, its highest single-day spike, and 322 fatalities, taking its total tally to 3,173,261 and death toll to 56,652. The number of active cases also crossed the 500,000-mark with 501,559 active infections.

A health worker collects a swab sample from a woman for Covid-19 test, in Mumbai on April 7. (PTI)

On Wednesday, Mumbai reported 10,442 cases and 24 deaths, taking the tally to 483,042 and toll to 11,856. Mumbai also has 83,185 active cases, the second-highest in the state, after Pune, which has 90,048 active cases and which reported 5,637 new cases on Wednesday.

The high number of cases has started burdening the state’s health infrastructure. According to data from the state health department on Wednesday, 80.51% of isolation beds for Covid-19 patients across the state are occupied. It also stated that 32.77% oxygen beds and 60.94% ICU beds are also occupied across the state.

In his address last week, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had indicated that the availability of beds will be a huge concern if cases continue to rise at the current pace -- between April 1 and 7, the state reported over 360,000 new cases.

Dr Pradip Vyas, principal secretary, state health department, in a meeting chaired by Thackeray on Wednesday, said as per an estimation by the Centre, the number of active cases in the state is expected to increase to 1.2 million by the end of the month, thus showing an over 30-fold jump from February. On February 11, the state had 30,265 active cases. If compared to the first wave, there were 310,752 active cases on September 17, 2020, the state said.