Maha Covid toll crosses 4,000; recoveries exceed active cases

Maharashtra on Monday crossed the 4,000 mark in coronavirus fatalities with 178 deaths — highest number reported in a day — taking the toll to 4,128. It recorded

Maharashtra on Monday crossed the 4,000 mark in coronavirus fatalities with 178 deaths — highest number reported in a day — taking the toll to 4,128. It recorded 2,786 more Covid-19 cases, taking the state tally to 1,10,744. The state for the first time has more recovered cases than active ones after 5,071 people were discharged on Monday, taking the count of those recovered in the state to 56,049. The recovery rate in the state stands at 50.61% with 50,554 active cases

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Mumbai recorded 1,067 new cases, taking the city’s tally to 59,293. The city also recorded 68 additional fatalities, taking the toll to 2,250. Besides Mumbai, Vasai-Virar recorded 20 deaths, 14 were reported in Pune, 13 each in Mira-Bhayander and Dhule, 12 each in Navi Mumbai and Thane, nine in Kalyan-Dombivli, seven in Panvel, three in Jalgaon, two each in Solapur and Jalna, one each in Palghar, Raigad, and Ratnagiri. Of the fatalities on Monday, 29 have been reported from the past two days, while the remaining 149 occurred earlier.

The mortality rate or case fatality rate of the state has now increased to 3.73%, which was 3.25% on May 25. The first fortnight of June, the state recorded 1,842 deaths, which means 44.62% of the total fatalities in the state have been recorded in the past 15 days. Of the last 15 days, Maharashtra has recorded over 100 deaths, except on June 1 and June 7, when 76 and 91 fatalities were recorded, respectively.

The health department official said that the number of fatalities seems high in the daily reports due to reconciliation. The percentage of fatalities has remained the same as the number of cases, but the absolute number of deaths has seen a rise in the last fortnight, said Anup Kumar Yadav, state health commissioner.

Yadav said the department is expecting that the fatalities would reduce in the coming days as they have strengthened the health infrastructure and are focusing on “bed management”.

“The mortality rate is almost the same as it is earlier. The absolute number of deaths has increased therefore it is reflecting higher. By and large, the composition of fatalities remains the same — comorbidities, people arriving late for treatment and the virus manifesting in a different kind of conditions. Comorbidities in the higher age segment is the main reason. Now it [the fatalities] should gradually come down. We have prepared our infrastructure in terms of dedicated facilities, ICU beds, ventilators; we have got more manpower, including doctors and nurses. We are focusing on bed management; aiming to provide a bed to anyone who has any symptomatic condition, we can control the fatalities through this.”

Of the fatalities recorded on Monday, 69.34% of the people had comorbidities, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart diseases, etc. Of them, 91 people were over age of 60, 74 people were between 40 and 59 years, the data provided by the public health department stated.

The state government is expecting cases to rise in the next 15-20 days and the state would see a peak in Covid-19 cases by early next month. Officials said that they had anticipated the rise and have prepared for it.

A senior health department official said, “After the lockdown has been relaxed in Mumbai and Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) cases here have increased. It was expected to. The last five days before Monday consecutively saw over 3,000 new cases in the state. We are preparing that the ‘unlock’ (referring to relaxation in lockdown) doesn’t make ouR battle too steep.”

Yadav added that with the movement of people, a complete redistribution of cases will begin. “The virus is following its natural course. With the increased movement of people after [lifting restrictions], it is only going up. A complete redistribution of cases is happening. It is expected to go on for about a month after which it will settle down. We will see a peak by July.”

Meanwhile, 5,79,158 people are under home quarantine, while 28,084 are at institutional quarantine facilities.