Record deaths in Maharashtra (54), Mumbai (40); state cases over 25,000

MUMBAI: With the coronavirus outbreak showing little signs of slowing, Maharashtra on Wednesday breached the 25,000 mark to reach 25,922 cases. It added 1,495 new cases on Wednesday, its third-highest jump in a single day, and recorded 54 deaths, its highest toll so far in a day. The state’s overall death toll (975) is now worryingly close to the 1,000 mark.
Maharashtra has been adding over 1,000 new cases every day for the past eight days, which have contributed to a staggering 10,397 cases and 358 deaths.

A day after Mumbai reported a dip in cases, the number again increased sharply to 800, its second highest single-day addition so far. With this, the city’s overall case tally breached the 15,000 mark to reach 15,747. Also, of the 54 deaths in the state, 40 were from Mumbai — the highest number of Covid-19 deaths the city has recorded in a single day so far. The toll for Mumbai now stands at 596.
The highest number of deaths previously reported in Mumbai was 28, on May 12. A total of 5,802 cases have been reported from Mumbai in the past eight days, with 209 deaths in the same period. The BMC said that of the 800 cases reported on Wednesday, 198 had tested positive in various laboratories between May 10 and May 11. Among Mumbai’s casualties was a 57-year-old BEST employee—the undertaking’s 6th Covid victim. Meanwhile, the state government has been working on a plan for Lockdown 4.0 from Monday.
It is likely that some districts may get some more relaxation, but cities like Mumbai and its neighbouring regions may not be in that group.
“The manner in which these areas have been adding cases, it may be very difficult to give any further relaxations,” said a senior official.
With death toll high, curbs unlikely to be eased in Mumbai
With the extended national lockdown set to end on May 17, the Maharashtra government is working on a fresh plan for Lockdown 4.0. It is likely that some districts in the state may get some more relaxations in the next phase of the lockdown, but cities like Mumbai and its neighbouring regions, the Pune region, Malegaon and Aurangabad may not be in that group. “The manner in which these areas have been adding cases, it may be very difficult to give any further relaxations,” said a senior official.
Neighbouring Thane and Navi Mumbai also continued to see a rise in cases. Navi Mumbai breached the 1,000 mark on Wednesday, while Thane crossed the 800 mark of Covid-19 patients after 47 new cases were detected in the past 24 hours, in addition to three fresh fatalities. Around 37 people have died in Thane so far.
A 22-year-old woman from Rabodi was the youngest patient in Thane to have succumbed to the virus. Sandeep Malvi, Thane municipal corporation’s deputy municipal commissioner said the woman had thyroid disorder. The number of Covid-19 cases in Thane city has shot up from 712 to 843 within a span of three days.
The state said that apart from Mumbai that saw the maximum number of deaths, six deaths were recorded from Pune, two each from Jalgaon, Solapur city and Aurangabad city, and one each from Vasai-Virar and Ratnagiri.
Twenty-nine of those who died were over 60 years old, 21 were from the age-group 40-59, and four were less than 40 years old. 36 out of the 54 patients (67%) had co-morbidities such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.
Of the 40 who died in Mumbai, 22 had co-morbidities. A BEST staffer died on Wednesday, but the case was not added to the official state count for the day. A civic official said that they were adding more beds to the dedicated Covid hospitals as there was a sharp rise in the number of those asking for beds. “In this week, 40-bed Covid wards have been started in Sion and KEM hospitals to cater to moderate patients needing oxygen,” a civic official said.
A total of 422 people were discharged on Wednesday, taking the total number of those discharged to 5,547.