Maharashtra reports fewer than 5,000 new Covid-19 cases for 13 consecutive days

The state’s tally of infections rose by 3,880 to 1,884,773 on Thursday. The state also reported 65 fatalities, taking its toll to 48,499.

Maharashtra recorded fewer than 5,000 new Covid-19 cases for a 13th consecutive day on Thursday as the state’s tally of infections rose by 3,880 to 1,884,773. The state also reported 65 fatalities, taking its toll to 48,499. Of the 65 deaths, 45 were from the past 48 hours, 10 from last week and 10 from the period of before last week. The state’s active caseload stands at 60,905, which is 3.23% of the total infections.

A medical staff collects swab sample of residents in Parel in Mumbai on Thursday. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

Data of the past two months, released by the state health department, revealed that there is improvement in the average daily cases in the state. For the first 17 days of this month, the average daily cases that Maharashtra has recorded are 4,313. During the corresponding period in November, the state had reported 4,377 cases, while in October the figure stood at 11,942.

“We are hoping for further improvement in the coming days, but because of the winter season we are concerned of a surge in January. We will have to be careful so that daily cases do not rise,” said a senior health official.

Health officials are wary that the downward trend of cases may change and the state could witness a second wave in January. Authorities have been urging people to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour to avoid a surge in cases.

HT was the first to report on December 13 that the state is planning to administer Covid-19 vaccine to around 3.25 crore people.

Tope said health workers, frontline workers (police and fire brigade personnel, conservancy staff, etc) and citizens above the age of 50 and those having co-morbidities will be given the Covid shots first. “Each person will have to register on a designated website to get the shot. They will be sent a text message with the date and vaccination booth details. The vaccinator will administer the shot and the person concerned will be kept under observation for at least half an hour to see if there are any complications,” said Tope. “We will be demanding that the Centre make the vaccination free for all citizens. If they [Centre] decide to charge people, we [state government] may consider making it free.”

The state government on Thursday also announced to provide reimbursement against expenses for Covid-19 treatment to all government employees, officials and their family members. The decision will be implemented with retrospective effect from September 2, when the state decided to increase the number of employees in the offices, the health minister said.

Currently, government employees get reimbursement against expenses for accidents and 27 serious illnesses, which will now also include Covid-19, said Tope.

Mumbai, meanwhile, on Thursday reported 586 Covid-19 cases, highest in the state, taking the city’s case count to 284,990. Of these, 7,024 are active cases. The city also reported 10 deaths, pushing up its toll to 11,013.