Mumbai records highest single-day spike with 8,646 cases, Maharashtra sees jump of 43,183 infections – Hindustan Times

Mumbai on Thursday reported 8,646 fresh Covid-19 infections, in the highest ever single-day spike since the beginning of the pandemic. On March 28, the city recorded 6,923 cases which was the highest so far. On March 29, there were 5,890 new infections and on March 30, a dip was reported in the number of fresh cases as the city recorded 4,760 fresh infections; the dip being attributed to fewer tests on the occasion of Holi.

Maharashtra too on Thursday saw a record spike of 43,183 new infections in the last 24 hours — the highest single-day spike since the beginning of the pandemic. A total of 139 deaths were reported from all across the state. Nagpur reported 3,630 new coronavirus cases and 60 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Maharashtra’s Covid-19 task force head Dr Sanjay Oak said Maharashtra should be allowed to start door-to-door vaccination. “There are reports that some states have started door-to-door vaccination, and Maharashtra should also be allowed to do so. The state should be able to vaccinate maximum population by June for better control on the virus and its spread,” Dr Oak told news agency PTI.

Covid-19 situation in Mumbai

Thursday’s spike took the tally of the city to 4,23,360, while the number of active patients is 55,005. In the last 24 hours, the city reported 18 deaths. A total of 82 per cent of active cases are asymptomatic, the BMC data revealed.

At present, the city has a recovery rate of 84 per cent. There are 80 active containment zones (slums and chawls) in the city while 650 buildings have been sealed. KW ward has the highest number of sealed buildings – 157, followed by the FS ward, which has 73 sealed buildings.

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Dharavi, the slum which became a cause of concern during the first phase of the pandemic because of the living condition of the people there, reported 71 new infections in the last 24 hours.

The entire state of Maharashtra is under night curfew between 8pm and 7am. Mumbai being the centre of commercial activities is facing resistance to any idea of restrictions.

Multiplex Association of India (MAI), Retail Association of India (RAI), and Shopping Centres Association of India said they were following all the safety protocols of the government but a lockdown will hit the business, which was in the recovery process, news agency PTI reported.

Restaurants and hotel owners of Mumbai took out a silent protest at Oshiwara on Thursday. Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam took part in the protest and said restrictions are doing harm to business owners of the city. “Night curfew means the end of the business for hotels in the city. I don’t know whether this virus spreads more at night,” the Congress leader said.