Maharashtra govt mulls lockdown extension in Mumbai, Pune as Covid count soars: Report

As COVID cases continue to rise at an alarming rate in Mumbai and Pune, the Maharashtra cabinet, on Thursday, reportedly mulled the extension of the lockdown in the most-affected areas of the state. In a meeting chaired by Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray along with six other ministers, reportedly voiced for lockdown relaxations to be provided in areas apart from red zones and containment zones in the state. However, the cabinet was of the opinion that lockdown in the most affected areas, especially Mumbai and Pune, should be extended until May 31. 

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COVID-19 cases in Mumbai

In the highest-ever single-day rise of coronavirus cases in Mumbai, as many as 998 new infections were detected, taking the tally to 16,579 on Thursday, while 25 more patients succumbed to the disease, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. The previous one-day high - 875 - was recorded on May 10. Fresh fatalities took the toll in the financial capital beyond the 600-mark, it said. According to the BMC, with the new cases, the tally in the city increased to 16,579, while 25 more deaths took the toll to 621.

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Samples of 364 of the 998 new cases tested positive in private labs, but they were recorded with the BMC on Thursday, the civic body. The BMC also informed that so far 4,234 patients have been discharged from city hospitals, 443 of them on Thursday. According to the BMC, out of the 25 patients who died in the city, 16 had co-morbidities (pre-existing medical conditions).

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A senior officer of the BMC said 33 new cases of coronavirus were found in Dharavi along with two deaths. With this, the case tally in the sprawling slum colony has gone up to 1,061 and the death toll to 49. The BMC also informed that it has expanded the capacity of COVID CareCentre-1, where suspected and close contacts are admitted for treatment, to 22,941 beds. Similarly, the capacity of COVID CareCentre-2, where asymptomatic positive/mild cases are admitted, has been expanded to 34,329 beds.

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194 new patients in Pune

With 194 new patients being detected since previous night, the number of coronavirus cases in Pune district rose to 3,426 on Thursday, a health official said. The death toll due to the pandemic reached 181 with six persons dying during the day, the official said. "Of the new 194 cases, 175 were reported in Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits, which now has 2,985 patients.