Maharashtra reports over 15,000 coronavirus cases, death toll reaches 52,723
Maharashtra on Friday reported more than 15,000 new coronavirus cases, the highest in 2021 so far. According to official data, the state recorded 15,817 positive cases in last the 24 hours, taking the tally of infections in the state to 22,82,191, the death toll increased to 52,723 with 56 new fatalities.
As many as 11,344 patients were discharged from hospitals, taking the number of recovered patients to 21,17,744. The number of active cases stands at 1,10,485.
Maharashtra's recovery rate of COVID-19 cases is 92.79 per cent, while the fatality rate is 2.31 per cent. Currently, 5,42,693 people are in home quarantine and 4,884 are in institutional quarantine.
As cases rise, many more Maharashtra cities and districts came under partial to near-total restrictions.
In the country's worst-hit district, Pune, the administration has shut down all educational institutions till March 31, all hotels and restaurants will close by 10 pm., and home deliveries by 11 pm, and other night-time restrictions shall be severely imposed.
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Apart from this, only 50 persons will be permitted to gather at weddings, funerals, political, religious or other social events while public gardens and parks and clubs will be closed to break the virus chain, it was decided at a review meeting headed by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
Besides similar short-term, long-term, partial or near-total measures are being implemented in several districts like Dhule, Buldhana, Jalgaon, Parbhani, Jalna, in addition to the earlier list of districts.
"The government has decided that a weekend lockdown will be imposed from 12 midnight till 6 a.m. on Monday in Parbhani district," Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik said.
(With inputs from IANS)
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