Coronavirus outbreak: COVID-19 threat covers Maharashtra as total cases inches towards 4,000

Mumbai, Apr 19: Maharashtra Health Department on Sunday said that no new cases of COVID-19 were recorded this morning in Maharashtra as the tally remained at 3,648.

With the state recording lower number of cases on Thursday and Friday, Maharashtra witnessed new 328 COVID-19 cases on Saturday.

Mumbai, that has the highest number of cases in the state, recorded 184 new cases on Saturday taking the tally to 2,268.

An 80-year-old woman from Dharavi died on Friday at Sion Hospital was only confirmed on Saturday that she was suffering from COVID-19.

Maharashtra which has the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the country also designated another 25 hospitals dedicated to treating those infected. The total number of dedicated hospitals for Covid-19 in Maharashtra has now risen to 55 with a capacity of 6,660 beds.

The state health officials also said that the government received permission from ICMR to start six new government laboratories for COVID-19 tests. The total number of laboratories in Maharashtra now goes to 42, which includes government and private sector.

Though the mortality rate is witnessing a gradual decline, it is still double of the country's rate. The mortality rates on April 14, 15, 16 and 17 were 6.84, 6.61, 6.41 and 6.05 per cent, respectively. Also, 46 people died in these three days.