With 519 deaths, Maharashtra records its highest single-day Covid toll

The surge has led to a sharp rise in active cases to 683,856 and going by the current transmission rate, the state health department has predicted that by May 2, additional 411,140 cases could be added to the tally, which will be a record 60% growth in 12 days

Maharashtra is likely to have 1,094,996 active cases by May 2, according to the state government’s internal assessment.

A health worker takes swab samples from a passenger at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Railway Station, in Mumbai on April 16. (File photo)

The rise in daily Covid-19 cases continued on Tuesday as well with 62,097 new cases. The state also reported 519 deaths, the highest single-day toll since the outbreak started in March last year. The earlier highest toll was 186 on September 15, 2020, when the toll touched 515. The overall toll in the state stands at 61,343 now.

The surge has led to a sharp rise in active cases to 683,856 and going by the current transmission rate, the state health department has predicted that by May 2, additional 411,140 cases could be added to the tally, which will be a record 60% growth in 12 days.

The deteriorating situation will burden the already strained health infrastructure in the state. While most of the districts will not be left with any beds – for isolation, oxygen or ICU beds and ventilators, many of them would require substantial additional infrastructure, according to the report which was presented before the state Cabinet in its Tuesday meeting. This is the reason most of Cabinet members were in favour of a complete lockdown. A decision is likely to be taken by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray by Wednesday evening, said state health minister Rajesh Tope after the meeting.

Currently, the state has 782,953 isolation beds, 72,869 oxygen beds, 24,986 ICU beds, 10,629 ventilators. In terms of district-wise health facilities, Thane, Pune, Raigad, Ahmednagar, Jalna, Beed, Latur, Parbhani, Hingoli, Nagpur, Wardha, Bhandara, Gondia and Chandrapur will have no facility for any new patient by May 2. On the contrary, everyone will require additional isolation beds, oxygen beds, ICU beds and ventilators, according to the projection.