MUMBAI: The
second wave of Covid-19 in
Maharashtra resulted in the highest-ever number of cases in a single day—31,855—on Wednesday. Mumbai mirrored the trend with an unprecedented daily tally of 5,190, albeit against a record 40,400 tests.
Nine out of the 10 districts with the highest caseloads in the country are currently from Maharashtra (Bengaluru Urban is the only non-Maharashtra district).
The Maharashtra government’s Covid-19 task force has now called for stringent checks on movement in Mumbai, including shutting down popular spots like Juhu beach for a few weeks, restrictions on post-7pm trips within the city, and early closure of commercial establishments in the non-essential sector.
Task force member Dr Niteen Karnik, head of medicine at Sion Hospital, recommended that Mumbai should, like Nagpur, opt for a “restricted lockdown’’ for two weeks. District administration in Beed was the latest to announce a 10-day restriction on business and services from Thursday onwards.
Reflecting all-round concern over growing numbers, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray told his cabinet on Wednesday about the need to boost vaccination and strictly implement Covid-19 appropriate restrictions.
"Maharashtra has been strictly following the guidelines issued by the Centre and has been transparent about the data. There are some states that have elections and some others who are hosting events with huge crowds there. How is that cases are not increasing in those states?" said Thackeray during the cabinet meeting.
A presentation made by the state health department for Wednesday’s cabinet meeting underlined the burning issues: active cases have ballooned since February 11 in 35 districts, with Sindhudurg the only exception; doubling rate of cases has fallen to 63 days from 194 days on February 28; and recovery has slipped to 88.7% from 94% in the same period.
Cases in Pune, Nagpur, Mumbai, Thane and Nashik contribute for 61% of the state’s active cases. The Mumbai administrative block comprising Mumbai, Thane and smaller corporations nearby, accounted for nearly a third (9,147) of Wednesday’s tally of 31,855.
In Mumbai, the picture is getting bleaker as demand for hospital beds rises. Dr Prince Surana of Surana Hospital, Chembur, said enquiries have risen sharply. ``We have 160 beds between two of our hospitals and they are full,’’ he said.
BMC additional commissioner Suresh Kakani said as most patients these days are from “highrises’’, private health facilities are more sought after. ``We have about 2,900 private sector beds and these will be shortly be upgraded to 5,000,’’ he said. Around 41% of the 13,083 beds in the public and private sector are still vacant in Mumbai, he added. ``More tests will result in more positive cases,’’ he said.
Dharavi, which has emerged as the barometer of Covid in Mumbai, reported 62 cases--the highest in the areas since May 2020.
In the Kalyan-Dombivli belt, 881 cases were detected—highest in a 24-hour period. Ditto with Thane where 793 cases were registered. Navi Mumbai reported 519 cases, while Panvel 283 cases.
(Inputs by Sumitra Deb Roy)