Maha crosses 40,000-mark, Mumbai case tally over 25k

MUMBAI: Maharashtra reported more than 2,000 Covid-19 infections for the fifth straight day on Thursday as it breached the 40,000 mark with 2,345 new cases, the second-highest single-day spike so far.

Mumbai also registered 1,382 new cases, taking the tally in India’s worst-affected city to 25,500.

The state’s Covid-19 count now stands at 41,642 cases. Of these, 28,454 are active cases, according to the state health department, On Sunday, the state had recorded 2,347 infections, the highest till date.

State data showed that the number of cases doubled in 13 days after it crossed the 20,000 mark on May 9. Maharashtra crossed 10,000 cases on April 30.

The death toll touched 1,454 cases after 64 fatalities were recorded on Thursday. Of them, 41 were in Mumbai, nine in Malegaon, seven in Pune, three in Aurangabad, two in Navi Mumbai and one each in Pimpri Chinchwad and Solapur.

The death toll in Mumbai reached 882 with 41 deaths on Thursday.

Dr Tatyarao Lahane, director of the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), said state health authorities were expecting a flattening of the curve by the end of the month. “We are waiting for another 14-day incubation cycle to end on May 31, after which the rise is likely to come under control and gradual decline will start,” he said.

The number of recoveries stands at 11,726, as of Thursday.

The mortality rate of the state has come down to 3.54% from 7.41% on April 13. However, it continues to be higher than the national mortality rate of 3.06%.

Last week, state health minister Rajesh Tope had said that the state may reach the caseload peak by the end of June. “All the predictions about rise in cases in Mumbai and Maharashtra have not come true but the numbers are rising and peak is yet to come. Going by the mathematical predictions, actual peak is likely to come by June end,” Tope said.