COVID-19 hits Maharashtra doctors hard, over 338 tested positive in different hospitals

Maharashtra on Thursday recorded 36,265 new COVID cases out of which 20,181 infections were reported in Mumbai only.

New Delhi: Amid an ongoing surge in coronavirus cases across India, a total of 338 resident doctors from various hospitals of Maharashtra have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last four days, said President of Maharashtra State Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), Dr Avinash Dahiphale.

“338 resident doctors from various hospitals in the state have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last four days,” President of Maharashtra State Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), Dr Avinash Dahiphale told ANI.

This comes as Maharashtra, which has been the worst COVID affected state in India during the first and second waves of COVID-19 with maximum deaths, is reporting a drastic surge in daily virus cases triggered by the new Omicron variant.

On Thursday, the state has reported 36,265 new coronavirus cases, 36% more than the previous day. Capital city Mumbai alone registered 20,181 infections, which is a new record for the city.

This apart 13 deaths and 79 Omicron cases have also been reported in Maharashtra.

Addressing the concern, Health Minister Rajesh Tope said earlier in the day that the state government has not yet considered shutting down local trains in Mumbai and imposing inter-district travel restrictions as the number of hospitalisations was still low.

He also ruled out the possibility of a lockdown in the state at this point in time.

The new infections are seen to be affecting the upper respiratory tract, including the nose and throat, more, and not so much the lungs, the health minister said.

 Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Pawar on Thursday said she has tested positive for coronavirus.

(With agency inputs)