As per latest genome sequencing reports of samples sent from these regions the dominant strain is Omicron sub variant XBB.1.16. Maharashtra reported 694 new cases on Thursday and presently there are 3,016 active cases in the state. Pune, Mumbai, Thane, Nashik and Solapur are among the top five districts that have seen a steady climb in Covid cases in the last four weeks. Pune and Mumbai account for 53 per cent of Covid cases in Maharashtra. However, state health officials are noting a rapid increase even in districts like Aurangabad, Gondia and Akola of the Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16.
A high Covid positivity of more than 5 per cent is a red flag and state department data indicates 14 districts where the weekly Covid positivity rate is between 5 and 14 per cent. Sangli’s Covid positivity rate during March 20-25 was 14.6 per cent while Pune reported a weekly Covid positivity rate of 11.1 per cent.
“Numbers are rising rapidly despite the disease being a mild one,” Nawin Sona, principal secretary, state health department, told officials while conducting a series of meetings via video conferencing last week with civil surgeons and district health officers of high-risk districts like Pune, Mumbai, Thane, Sangli, Aurangabad, Gondia and Akola.
Top officials in the health department have directed the administration across Nagpur and Amravati divisions to take strict measures to tackle the highly immune evasive and fast-spreading Covid sub-variant XBB.1.16.
Public Health Department officials have issued advisories regarding home self-isolation to those who have respiratory illnesses and strict masking in crowded places.
The Covid positivity rate across Maharashtra has climbed from 0.62 per cent in the week February 25-March 3 to 4.99 per cent in the week March 18-24. Pune has seen a jump in the Covid positivity rate from 1.94 per cent in the week February 25-March 3 to 9.23 per cent in the week March 18-24. Covid positivity rates have climbed to 8.2 per cent in Ahmednagar in the week March 18-24 while Aurangabad has reported a positivity rate of 9.89 per cent.
According to a state health department report, as against 405 cases on March 10, Maharashtra has reported 1,763 cases on March 24. In Pune from 155 cases reported on March 10 the figure has shot up to 510 on March 24. In Mumbai cases shot up from 92 on March 10 to 453 on March 24.
As per latest genome sequencing reports of samples sent from these regions the dominant strain is Omicron sub variant XBB.1.16. Maharashtra reported 694 new cases on Thursday and presently there are 3,016 active cases in the state. Passengers who have been arriving in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur airports are being screened and Covid positive samples are being sent for whole genome sequencing.