Maharashtra reports 36,902 new Covid-19 cases in another daily spike

The capital city of Mumbai reported 5513 new Covid-19 cases, taking the number of cases to 385,628, according to the bulletin.

Maharashtra recorded 36,902 cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the last 24 hours, the highest one-day rise since the pandemic began last year, the state’s health department said on Friday even as chief minister Uddhav Thackeray instructed officials to impose a night curfew from Sunday, March 28, to curb rising infections. With the new Covid-19 cases, the state’s tally stands at 26,37,735 and 112 fatalities in a single day have taken its death toll to 53,907, according to the bulletin. As many as 17,019 people were discharged in the last 24 hours and now there are 23,00,056 recoveries in the state. Maharashtra’s active cases of the coronavirus disease are 282,451, the bulletin also showed.

Maharashtra, which is worst-affected by the viral disease in the country, on Friday recorded the highest one-day rise since the pandemic began last year, (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

The capital city of Mumbai reported 5513 new Covid-19 cases and 10 fatalities, taking its tally to 385,661 and death toll to 11,633, according to the bulletin. The state, which is worst-affected by the viral disease in the country, recorded 35,952 coronavirus infections on Thursday.

Thackeray, according to news agency PTI, warned of stricter restrictions if the people did not observe Covid-19 safety protocol. "I do not wish to impose lockdown. But there seems a possibility of healthcare facilities falling short given the rise in the number of coronavirus patients," Thackeray said in an official statement, PTI reported.

The state government also issued guidelines for Holi, Good Friday and Easter, saying people should celebrate Holi in a simple manner and avoid crowding considering the rise in Covid-19 cases. "The festival should be celebrated in a simple manner, observing social distancing norms and without coming together in any way given the increasing spread of Covid-19. Rang Panchami too should be celebrated in a simple manner," the government said in a statement.

It also urged the Christian community to observe Good Friday on April 2 and Easter Sunday on April 4 in a simple manner. The government said, if a church is spacious, a maximum of 50 people should attend the prayer meet there during the holy week from March 28 to April 4. If the church is smaller in size, then a special prayer meet should be held in the presence of 10-25 people, and four to five special masses may be organised depending on the need, it said.

It said adherence to Covid-19 protocols, including wearing masks, using hand sanitisers etc, must be ensured, adding that efforts must also be made to broadcast prayer meets online. “No religious programme that can attract a crowd in any way should be organised," the statement said.