Mumbai: The novel coronavirus continues to engulf Maharashtra with a staggering half-lakh plus fresh cases on Sunday taking its total going up above 30 lakh.
In a grim report, the state recovery rate continued to drop further, from 84.49 per cent on Saturday to 83.08 per cent, while the death rate worsened from 1.88 per cent a day earlier to 1.86 per cent, and the number of active cases jumped up from 401,172 to 430,503 now.
The state recorded its new peak of 57,074 new infections, up from 49,447 on Saturday, taking its tally to 30,10,597 now.
The 222 fresh fatalities took the toll to 55,878 now - the worst in the country.
Over 2.20 million people are in quarantine, either at home or in institutions, as the state frantically grapples to control the infection.
Mumbai, Pune, Nashik and Nagpur circles remained major worry due to the higher new cases and deaths, followed by Aurangabad, Latur, Akola and Kolhapur circles, putting a severe strain on the health-medical infrastructure.
Mumbai, for the first time, recorded a five-figure tally - 11,206 new infections, up from 9,108 on April 3, taking up its total to 452,681, while 25 new deaths took the total fatalities to 11,779. The Mumbai circle - comprising Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts - witnessed a staggering highest of 19,942 new daily cases, taking up the total to 9,55,313 now, with 20,623 fatalities now.
As cases continued to upsurge in the financial capital, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has sealed over 700 buildings, besides 74 slums/chawls around the city to restrict the spread of the contagion, while BMC Commissioner IS Chahal announced further augmentation of COVID beds in the city.
Talking about Pune, 12,494 new cases were recorded on Sunday in the district, highest tally so far. Of the total cases, Pune city saw 6,225 fresh cases followed by 3,382 in Pimpri Chinchwad. While, rural area also witnessed sudden spurt with 2,209 cases found in span of 24 hours.
Of the day's deaths reported, Nanded and Nagpur led the state with 32 fatalities each, while 27 died in Nashik, 25 in Mumbai, 15 in Thane, 11 in Beed, nine in Pune.
Also, eight each in Solapur and Latur lost lives while five in Raigad, four each in Ahmednagar, Osmanabad, Amravati, and Yavatmal, three each in Dhule, Jalgaon, Aurangabad, Jalna, and Parbhani, two each in Nandurbar, Satara, Sangli, Sindhudurg, Hingoli, Akola, Washim, and Wardha, and one each in Kolhapur and Buldhana, besides one from outside the state.
Meanwhile, the number of people sent to home isolation gone up to 22,05,899 now, while those in institutional quarantine increased to 19,711.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra which is battling the contagion, on Sunday decladed a "week-end lockdown" around the state till April end, besides stricr weekdays rules, to 'Break The Chain'.
The decision was taken at an emergency Cabinet meeting conducted by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, after he held detailed discussions with all senior ministers and health officals on Sunday.
