Over 6,000 new cases as Covid-19 continues to surge in Maharashtra; 823 fresh infections in Mumbai
Out of the total fresh cases, 823 cases reported in Mumbai. The capital city's death toll reached 11,437 after five fresh fatalities.
For the third consecutive day, the cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) continued to spike in Maharashtra after a dip was witnessed in the last 75 days. On Friday the state reported 6,112 cases, 685 higher than the previous day. While 44 people lost their lives to the viral disease pushing the death toll to climb at 51,713.
Out of the total fresh cases, 823 cases reported in Mumbai. The capital city's death toll reached 11,437 after five fresh fatalities.
Meanwhile, the number of people recovered in the span of 24 hours was 19,89,963 after 2,159 were cured of the disease. The number of tests conducted in the last 24 hours was 67,126 and the state has tested 1,55,88,324 people so far.
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Maharashtra is witnessing a spurt in the daily cases of Covid-19 infection. On Thursday, it clocked 5,427 cases of Covid-19. A day before that it had reported a spike of 4,787 which was the biggest one day spike in 70 days. The state had earlier registered 4,981 cases on December 9. Experts have attributed the spike in cases to a drop in tests and poor contact-tracing in districts where cases are on the rise.
Over the last seven days, the state added 31,057 cases of Covid-19 to the tally. While the average number of daily cases hovered between 3,300 to 3,600. On February 16, 15, 14 and 13, Maharashtra registered 3,663, 3,365, 4,092 and 3,611 cases respectively.
Meanwhile, the number of fatalities in a day remained under 50. On February 17, fatalities surged as 40 people succumbed to the disease. However, it came down to 38 on February 18. The lowest number of fatalities was reported on February 15 when 23 people were killed due to the Covid-19. On February 16, 14 and 13, it registered 39, 40 and 38 fatalities.
These "small curves" (spurts in infections) are happening due to lax behaviour as gatherings, weddings and various functions are happening and no physical distancing is being followed, news agency PTI quoted Dr Murlidhar Tambe, Dean of B J Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital, as saying.