Maharashtra sees 3,994 fresh Covid-19 infections

Maharashtra on Friday maintained its trend of below 5,000 Covid-19 cases and under 100 deaths in the state for 14 days straight

Maharashtra on Friday maintained its trend of below 5,000 Covid-19 cases and under 100 deaths in the state for 14 days straight. For the second day straight, Maharashra reported below 4,000 infections with 3,994 fresh cases, taking the tally to 1,888,767. The state also reported 75 fatalities on Friday, taking the toll to 48,574. Of the 75 deaths , 41 were in the past 48 hours and 17 were in the past week. The remaining 17 deaths were from before last week.

A health worker takes a swab sample of a resident. (Satyabrata Tripathy/HT)

Mumbai, meanwhile, reported 642 fresh cases to take its tally to 285,632.

The city also added nine fatalities on Friday, taking the toll to 10,970, including reconciliation of figures.

Between December 5 and 18, Maharashtra has clocked below 5,000 infections and fewer than 100 fatalities each day, signifying a downward trend in the state’s Covid-19 curve. Contrary to the prediction of state authorities, the numbers are not showing any increase. In the past 14 days, Maharashtra has added 46,180 fresh cases at a daily average of 3,298.

Dr Subhash Salunkhe, chairman of communicable diseases prevention control and member of the state-appointed technical committee, said, “We are definitely seeing a declining trend in the state. But we must continue taking precautions as viral activity has not died down completely.”

Corporations and districts in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) collectively reported 608 new cases and 21 deaths. Kalyan-Dombilvli topped the region with 120 new cases and nine deaths, followed by Navi Mumbai with 116 new cases and two deaths and Thane city with 110 new cases and three deaths. Thane district has the second-highest number of active cases with 10,691 active patients, after Pune district, which has 16,921 active patients.

On Friday, Pune city reported 313 new cases and three deaths, while its rural areas reported 126 fresh cases and one death. Pimpri-Chinchwad reported 112 new cases with no fatalities. Nagpur city reported 392 cases and five deaths, while its rural areas clocked 100 new cases on Friday with one death.

Friday also saw discharge of 4,467 patients, to take tally of recovered patients to 1,778,722. The recovery rate in the state stood at 94.17%. For five days straight, the number of discharges has been more than the fresh cases added, improving the state’s recovery rate.

In the past 24 hours, Maharashtra tested 62,668 samples and recorded a positivity rate of 6.38%. In the past 14 days, the average positivity rate has been around 5.34%. So far, Maharashtra has tested 11,996,624 samples and has an overall positivity rate of 15.74%.