Highest one-day spike of 3,752 cases takes Maha past 120,000

MUMBAI: Maharashtra recorded 3,752 Covid-19 cases on Thursday, the highest one-day jump that took the tally in India’s worst-hitstate past 120,000 infections.

The state has registered 120,504 cases, including 62,875 in Mumbai. With the addition of 100 deaths, the fatality toll in the state touched reached 5,751, including 3311 in Mumbai.

Maharashtra has logged more than 2,000 cases daily for the past 31 days. State authorities and experts attribute the rise to the easing of lockdown restrictions. A total of 75,108 cases, or 65.44% of the state’s tally, have been reported after most areas were exempted from lockdown curbs from May 22.

Under its Mission Begin again — a staggered plan to lift curbs — the state government started rolling out major relaxations, even in red zones. After allowing physical activities such as running, jogging and cycling from June 3, shops and commercial establishments were allowed to be open on alternate days from June 5. From June 8, private offices opened with 10% (or 10 persons, whichever is greater) of the capacity. The two weeks of unlocking have seen more than 40,000 cases.

State authorities are wary of a rise in cases in the next two-three weeks owing to monsoon- related ailments. “We have been concentrating on the new hotspots that have come up elsewhere in the state. Tracing , testing and treatment have been the key formula to contain the spread of the virus. It is being implemented in these districts too. The figures in Mumbai have been stabilised and we now expect to reach the plateau at the state level by mid-July, ” said state surveillance officer Dr Pradeep Awate.

Dr Sanjay Pattiwar, public health consultant, said that the opening up of activities led to a rise in cases and added that striking a balance between the lockdown and unlocking was inevitable. “The rise after the restarting of activities was expected, but it is now for people to understand how to live with the virus without getting infected. People have been following the norms of social distancing and physical contacts; it should be rigorously followed even in future. With the density of population in India, we need to take extra precautions than any other country,” he said.

Bhushan Gagarani, principal secretary, state government, said that districts with high fatality rate have been asked to do better case management.