Maharashtra records highest-single day spike in cases propelling COVID-19 tally to 4,200

Maharashtra witnessed its highest-single day spike in cases after 552 persons tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Sunday, April 19. This has propelled the state's COVID-19 tally to 4,200. This includes 2,724 cases from Mumbai- a rise of 426 cases from the figures stated in the Maharashtra Health Department's bulletin dated April 18. A total of 72,023 laboratory samples have been tested so far. Currently, 87,254 persons are in home quarantine, 6,743 are in institutional quarantine while 507 patients have recovered from COVID-19.

Meanwhile, 12 new deaths- 6 from Mumbai, 4 from Malegaon and one from Solapur and Jamkhed-Ahmednagar were reported in the day, taking Maharashtra's overall death toll to 223. There are 368 active containment zones in the state presently. As per the Maharashtra Health Department, surveillance of 23.97 lakh individuals was done on Sunday. 

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'We are giving permission to economic activities partially in some areas' 

Addressing the people of Maharashtra earlier in the day, CM Uddhav Thackeray explained the contours of the partial resumption of economic activities in the state from April 20 amid the nationwide lockdown. Mentioning that three zones namely- Red zone, Orange zone, and Green zone had been demarcated on the basis of the number of COVID-19 cases, he revealed that economic activities in a limited manner will be permitted in the Green and Orange zones. However, he clarified that the movement of workers and inter-district travel will not be allowed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. 

Uddhav Thackeray remarked, "Tomorrow onwards, we are giving permission to economic activities partially in some areas. Fortunately, there are some districts in the state where not even a single case has been reported. We have created zones- Red zone, Orange zone, and Green zone. Red Zones are those areas where there is an increase in the cases. Orange zone refers to areas where there are no new cases while Green zone implies areas where there are zero cases. In Green zones and Orange zones, we are giving permission to economic activities in a limited manner."

He added, "Now, we are informing the entrepreneurs that if you are taking care of your workers in your industry premises, you can commence work. But, there should be no movement of workers. No permission has been granted for inter-district travel. We have to follow these restrictions at least till May 3."

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Read: Mumbai Reports 135 New Cases And 6 Deaths; Additional 154 Cases Added To Overall Tally