At 6.34%, Maharashtra’s mortality rate is third highest in India: State agency data

With 1,297 positive cases and 72 deaths until 1pm on April 9, Maharashtra has recorded highest number of Covid-19 cases and deaths in India. Maharashtra’s mortality

With 1,297 positive cases and 72 deaths until 1pm on April 9, Maharashtra has recorded highest number of Covid-19 cases and deaths in India. Maharashtra’s mortality rate – 6.34% – is the third highest in the country after Gujarat (179 cases, 16 deaths, 8.94% mortality rate) and Punjab (101 cases, 8 deaths, 7.92% mortality rate), according to data released on Thursday by the Maharashtra Medical Education and Drugs Department (MEDD), the agency chosen by the state government to analyse data to help formulate policy.

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The analysis had not taken into account the positive infections and deaths reported on Thursday evening.

Apart from Maharashtra, the states that have the most number of positive cases are Delhi (738), Tamil Nadu (669), Telangana (427), Rajasthan (381), Uttar Pradesh (361), Andhra Pradesh (348) and Kerala (345). However, their mortality rates are respectively 1.34%, 1.08%, 1.63%, 0.78%, 1.1%, 1.14% and 0.57%. According to data released by World Health Organisation, the global mortality rate is 5.85%, making Maharashtra’s rate higher than the world average. In fact, India’s average mortality rate is 2.89%, making Maharashtra’s rate more than double that of the rest of India. Mumbai has been the worst affected among all Indian cities, with 857 cases and 45 deaths, followed by Pune with 192 cases and 10 deaths. MEDD data indicated that people between the age group of 61-80 years are the most vulnerable to the infection, in addition to morbidity rate being the highest. Patients in the age group of 61-70 have a death rate of 23.15%, according the MEDD data, while those between 71 and 80 years are even higher at 23.53%.

Civic officials said on Thursday that the state has been able attribute deaths to Covid-19 on account of better screening and higher testing. As on April 8, Maharashtra had conducted 27,090 tests, which is slightly lower than four southern Indian states combined. Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka accounted for 29,149 tests. Telangana has not released its test numbers. Rajasthan has conducted 16,782 tests.

“We are conducting highest number of tests in the country, and this has to be accounted for when we consider the mortality rate,” said Dr Daksha Shah, deputy health officer, Mumbai. “If we had not conducted extensive tests, these deaths would go unnoticed.”

According to state health department officials, close to 90% of the deceased patients have co-morbid ailments such respiratory issues, cardiac ailments, diabetes, hypertension, tuberculosis and HIV. “This is why we have isolated high-risk patients with co-morbid health issues,” Dr Shah added. “In places such as Dharavi (India’s biggest slum with a population of 8.5 lakh and a population density of 66,000) where home quarantining is not feasible, we are keeping senior citizens at chosen vacant places.”