No decrease in number of tests: Maharashtra minister on decline in Covid-19 cases in 15 districts

Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, Nandurbar, Amravati which were badly hit in February and March at the beginning of the second wave are now recording fewer daily cases.

The number of daily Covid-19 infections in Maharashtra has significantly come down in the last few days as from around 70,000 daily cases, the state is recording around 50,000 new cases. Dismissing fewer tests as the reason behind the sudden dip in the number of cases, health minister Rajesh Tope said 15 districts, including Mumbai, Dhule, Nanded, Bhandara, Thane, Nashik, Latur, Nandurbar, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Amravati, Raigad, Osmabanad, Chandrapur and Gondia, are seeing a decline in the number of daily cases. In and around 20 districts including Sangli, Satara, Buldhana and Kolhapur, the cases are still on the rise.

Cases in Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur have actually gone down. Authorities are not compromising on the number of tests, health minister Rajesh Tope said. (Photo by Vijay Bate/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

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The positivity rate has dropped by 5 per cent and has settled around 22 per cent from 27 per cent. Asserting that there has been no reduction in the number of testing, the minister said, "The number of daily tests ranges between 2.5 lakh and 2.8 lakh of which RT-PCR (lab technique) accounts for 65 per cent and RAT (rapid antigen test) 35 per cent."

Maharashtra's recovery rate of 84.07 per cent is the highest in the country, the minister said.

In the last two days, more people have recovered from Covid-19 than the number of people who have contracted the infection, which is a signal of the situation gradually improving. On Tuesday, around 65,934 people recovered as against 51,880 new infections. On Monday, 59,500 people recovered while 48,621 new cases were registered.

(With PTI Inputs)