Maharashtra logs 44,388 new COVID-19 cases, 2,954 more than day before; 12 fatalities

Mumbai, Jan 9 (PTI) Maharashtra on Sunday reported 44,388 new COVID-19 cases and 12 fatalities, taking the tally of infections to 69,20,044 and the death toll to 1,41,639, the state health department said.

A day earlier, the state had reported 41,434 coronavirus cases and 13 deaths.

With 15,351 patients discharged on Sunday, the number of recoveries rose to 65,72,432 in Maharashtra, which is now left with 2,02,259 active cases, the department said in a statement.

The state added 207 fresh cases with the Omicron variant of coronavirus, taking the number of such patients to 1,216.

The case recovery rate in Maharashtra now stands at 94.98 per cent and the fatality rate is 2.04 per cent, the department said.

Mumbai reported 19,474 fresh cases and seven COVID-19 fatalities, raising the tally of infections to 9,12,522 and the death toll to 16,406.

As cases continued to spike in Maharashtra, state health minister Rajesh Tope said on Sunday that the state government will gradually bring curbs at places of worship and other sites, including liquor vends, that attract crowds to control the coronavirus pandemic.

He told reporters that the medical oxygen demand in Maharashtra for COVID-19 and other patients went up from 270 metric tonnes to 350 metric tonnes recently, though this is just a fraction of the 1700-2000 MT required when the pandemic was peaking during earlier periods.

The state government has already decided to prohibit movement in public in groups of five or more from 5 in the morning to 11 at night, effective January 10 midnight. Besides, no movement will be allowed in public from 11 pm to 5 am except for essential services.

On Sunday, the Mumbai division reported 33,299 cases and nine deaths. The number of the total cases in this region now stands at 19,38,027 and the death toll at 36,165, the department said.

The Nashik division reported 1,497 cases, including 799 in Nashik city. The Pune division added 6,933 cases, including 4,065 in Pune city. The Kolhapur division saw 575 fresh cases, the Aurangabad division 321, Latur division 355, Akola division 249, Nagpur division 1,159 including 757 in Nagpur city.

Mumbai division reported nine COVID-19 fatalities, the Pune division 2, and the Latur division 1.

With 2,02,932 new tests, the cumulative number of samples tested so far in Maharashtra went up to 7,05,45,105, the department said.

The COVID-19 figures in Maharashtra are: Positive cases 44,388, deaths 1,41,639, recoveries 65,72,432, active 2,02,259, total tests 7,05,45,105, tests today 2,02,932. PTI MR BNM NSK NSK