COVID-19: Mumbai witnesses 4 deaths in a day, Dharavi man dies before treatment

After Dharavi reported its first Coronavirus (COVID-19) case on Wednesday, the victim passed away in Sion hospital before he could be moved to Mumbai's COVID-19 hospital - Kasturba Hospital, as confirmed by BMC officials. Authorities have already sealed part of Dharavi with 300 flats and 90 shops to prevent the spread of the virus. Apart from the Dharavi resident, three more COVID-19 positive victims died in Mumbai - 84 yr old woman died in Hirandnandani Hospital, a 73-year-old woman in Wockhardt Hospital and a 63-year-old woman in Nair Hospital, taking the total number of deaths to 16.

PM Modi urges CM Thackeray to 'trace & test' Markaz attendees; Maharashtra tally at 335

First case reported in Dharavi

Earlier in the day, in an alarming development, a 56-year old man with no travel history was tested positive in Asia's biggest slum - Dharavi. While he was shifted to Sion hospital, his family has been put under quarantine. Moreover, the BMC has sealed the entire building - making it one of the 191 'containment areas' throughout the city where positive cases have been reported. Health Minister Rajesh Tope had warned that the number of positive cases in the state is expected to rise  adding that about 5000 individuals are high-risk contacts who have been quarantined.

COVID-19: Thackeray govt warns of rise in cases in Maharashtra; 5000 persons quarantined

Maharashtra & Markaz

According to PTI, 252 people from Maharashtra attended Delhi's Tablighi Jamaat congregation. Officials state that 54 attendees have been quarantined in Nagpur, 1 in Wardha and over 200 attendees have been traced in the Konkan area. Contact tracing is still ongoing by state officials. PM Modi has spoken to CM Uddhav Thackeray urging him to trace, test and treat all Markaz attendees as soon as possible.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: First case reported from Mumbai's Dharavi; total cases at 1637

Maharashtra under lockdown

On March 14, the Thackeray government invoked the Epidemic Diseases Act declaring the Coronavirus as an epidemic - declaring all gyms, swimming pools, malls, theatres, pubs shut in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, Pimpri-Chinchwad till March 31 amid the rising cases of Coronavirus. With the railways shutting down its services on March 22 marking 'Janta Curfew', the Maharashtra government extended a state-wide curfew, stopping all transport services across districts. After PM Modi announcing a 21-day lockdown, Maharashtra too enforced the same as the state recorded the highest number of cases at 335.

Centre contacts foreign envoys to seek info about Markaz attendees; action likely: Sources