Maharashtra: Active Coronavirus cases soar to 1.5 lakh, death toll nears 15,000

Maharashtra has reported 10,320 new Coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the tally of confirmed cases to 4,22,118, state health department data showed.

The death toll rose to 14,994 after 265 patients succumbed to COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the novel Coronavirus, in the last 24 hours. The case fatality rate in the state stands at 3.55%, way above the country's 2.18%.

Meanwhile, 7,543 patients were discharged after recovery in the same period, taking the number of recovered cases to 2,56,158. The recovery rate in Maharashtra is now 60.68%, as against the nation's 64.54%.

The number of active cases in the state stands at 1,50,662.

Currently, 8,99,557 people are under home quarantine and 39,535 people in institutional quarantine. Furthermore, out of 21,30,098 laboratory samples, 4,22,118 have been tested positive (19.81%) for COVID-19 until July 31.

In the state capital Mumbai, 1,085 people were diagnosed with COVID-19 on Friday, taking the aggregate to 1,14,284. As per the state health bulletin, India's financial capital has 20,563 active cases while 6,353 patients have died. For weeks now, Mumbai has reported less than 2,000 cases a day while the number of tests has remained fairly progressive, a sign that the outbreak is easing.

Meanwhile, the total number of cases in neighbouring Thane district touched 93,342, of which it has 31,920 active cases. The tally of active cases in Palghar meanwhile stands at 5,969 while it is 2,831 in Nagpur.

Cases in Pune district have surged to 89,231, of which there are 49,821 active cases. Concerned over the progression, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday reviewed the COVID-19 situation in the district and chaired a meeting of elected representatives, including MP and MLAs, and took stock of the situation and the local administration's response to the pandemic so far.

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State extends lockdown till August 31

Maharashtra government on Wednesday, extending its current lockdown till August 31, issued guidelines for 'Mission Begin Again'. Under the new guidelines, apart from the current relaxations, malls and market complexes have been allowed to reopen from August 5 without theatres, food courts, and restaurants from 9 AM to 7 PM. The guidelines have not mentioned anything on reopening religious places which remain shut across Maharashtra.

Muslims will observe Eid-al-Adha or Bakri Eid on Saturday and as per the Maharashtra government guidelines, people have been asked to offer prayers at home and purchase sacrificial animals online or over the phone. Moreover, Muslims have been advised to preferably perform the animal sacrifice ritual 'symbolically'.

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