While Mumbai reported 116 cases, 18 tested positive in Pune, three each in Ahmednagar, Nagpur and Aurangabad, two each in Buldhana and Thane and one each in Ratnagiri, Satara and Sangli. (Representational Image)

Maharashtra surpassed the 1,000 mark of COVID-19 cases on Tuesday with 150 more people testing positive for the virus, including 116 in Mumbai alone. This is the highest spike in the total number of cases in a day for both Mumbai and the state. Moreover, 12 new deaths were reported – the highest toll for a single day across Maharashtra since the outbreak started. As of Tuesday, 1018 people have been infected in the state.

While Mumbai reported 116 cases, 18 tested positive in Pune, three each in Ahmednagar, Nagpur and Aurangabad, two each in Buldhana and Thane and one each in Ratnagiri, Satara and Sangli. In Mumbai, six deaths were recorded, while Pune reported three and one each in Mira-Bhayander, Nagpur and Satara.

Meanwhile, at least 23 people who had visited Delhi to attend the Tablighi Jamaat event in March have tested positive across the state. Most cases have been reported from Latur (8), followed by Buldhana (6) and the rest from Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune, Ahmednagar, Hingoli, Jalgaon and Washim. While over 1,225 people from Maharashtra had attended the event, half of them have been tested so far. State officials said more people with links to the Jamaat are being tested.

In Satara, a 63-year-old man died in the district hospital. The man had returned from the US, developed symptoms and tested positive. Officials said he went on to test negative in the last few days and was on the road to recovery. “He suddenly collapsed on Monday morning and passed away. We are investigating his death and checking his medical history,” an official said.

Among those who passed away in Mumbai was a 61-year-old man, who was admitted to Bombay Port Trust hospital on Monday with complaints of decreased urine output and breathlessness. He died within hours of admission. His samples tested positive on Tuesday. He also suffered from hypertension, ischemic heart disease and diabetes.

A 48-year-old woman, admitted in Hinduhriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray hospital, died within hours of admission on April 4 following complaints of cough, breathlessness and fever. Her samples tested positive on Monday. A 66-year-old man, admitted in SRV hospital in Chembur passed away on Monday, two days after hospitalisation. He suffered from fever and breathlessness.

In Kandivali-based Babasaheb Ambedkar hospital, a 55-year-old man with cough, body pain and breathlessness died on Monday, two days after hospitalisation. In KEM hospital, a 72-year-old woman, with hypertension and hypothyroidism, died on Tuesday. She was admitted on April 5 for fever, cough and breathlessness.

A 68-year-old man, who died in a private hospital on March 30, tested positive on Tuesday. He was admitted on March 24, but with hypertension and diabetes, his condition worsened.

With a surge in cases, specially several with no link to a traceable COVID-19 patient, the state government is pushing for more tests. Till Tuesday, 20,877 swabs had been tested. Tuesday alone saw 4,200 samples being examined.

Maharashtra’s rate of samples testing positive stands at 4.8 per cent. It continues to have maximum number of cases and fatality in India. Across the state, 12 lakh people have been screened for symptoms. At least 3,492 teams are working to conduct contact tracing and surveillance.