On Sunday, 1,278 new cases were recorded, taking the state tally to 22,171. In Mumbai, 875 new cases were recorded, taking the city count to 13,739. (Representational)

Another 53 people died of Covid-19 in the state on Sunday, crossing its previous day record of maximum reported deaths in a single day. On Saturday, 48 Covid-19 deaths were reported in Maharashtra. A day earlier, the then highest single day toll was recorded at 43.

In last four days alone, the state has recorded 181, taking the overall toll to 832 – accounting for over 35 per cent the country’s tally. When the outbreak began, it had taken Maharashtra 35 days to record the first 178 deaths.

On Sunday, 1,278 new cases were recorded, taking the state tally to 22,171. In Mumbai, 875 new cases were recorded, taking the city count to 13,739. Pune came next, although by a huge margin, with a total 2,377. Two other districts, Navi Mumbai and Thane, with 826 and 880 cases, respectively, are nearing 1,000 mark.

Of the 53 deaths, 20 died in Mumbai, including a Madhya Pradesh resident, 14 in Malegaon, five in Pune, five in Jalgaon, three in Dhule and one each in Aurangabad, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Ahmednagar, Nandurbar, Solapur and Vasai-Virar.

While the Mumbai toll reached 508 on Sunday, the 14 deaths in Malegaon — taking its overall toll to 34 — were recorded between April 27 and Sunday. After Mumbai (508) and Pune (151), Malegaon has third highest toll in the state now. It has recorded 562 cases, far less than Thane or Navi Mumbai, but has surpassed both districts when it came to the toll. Thane has so far recorded 10 deaths and Navi Mumbai four.

Meanwhile, after remaining free from coronavirus for about two months, Wardha on Sunday registered its first case after a asthma patient, who died on May 8, tested positive to the virus.

Wardha Collector Vivek Bhimanwar said, “The deceased is a 36-year-old woman from Hivra Tanda village in Arvi tahsil bordering Amravati district. The woman, who was acutely asthmatic, was bedridden for the last six months. She was taken to Vinoba Bhave Medical College and Hospital at Sawangi Meghe near Wardha on May 8 but died on the way. She tested positive on Sunday.”

“We are trying to trace the origin of her infection. We came to know that a relative, who is a nurse at Nagpur, had come to visit the family about 15 days ago. The police are also investigating if she may have got it from Amravati district, since her husband was allegedly involved in illicit liquor business,” Bhimanwar added. Wardha is a prohibition district.

Those who had attended her funeral are being traced. The administration has also sealed a three-km radius area in the village and is conducting contact tracing.

Also, the district recorded its second Covid-19 victim on Sunday with a 64-year-old man from Washim, who had come to the same hospital for treatment of pneumonia, testing positive.

Gadchiroli first district to open up

Gadchiroli, which has till now not reported a single Covid-19 case, has become the first district in the state to open up fully from Friday with Collector Deepak Singla allowing all shops and non-crowding business establishments to function from 7 am to 5 pm.

“All units producing essential items and medical facilities will not be bound by any time limit,” an order by Singla said. Courier and other home services, as wel as salons, have also been allowed.

But the allowance has come with riders like following social distancing and sanitation norms, failing which permission could be revoked for the violators, the order said. At salons, people have been asked to carry their own cloth and only one person is allowed at a time.

Movement in and out of the district without permission, however, has not been allowed. Malls, cinema theatres, paan kiosks, lodges, religious places, gymnasium and education institutions among others will also remain closed.