Maharashtra records 62,097 new COVID-19 cases, 519 deaths as CM Thackeray moots 'strict lockdown'

Maharashtra on Tuesday reported 62,097 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the tally to 39,60,359, while 519 more patients succumbed to the infection.

Image courtesy: ANI

Mumbai: Maharashtra on Tuesday (April 20) reported 62,097 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the tally to 39,60,359, while 519 more patients succumbed to the infection. The new fatalities pushed the statewide toll to 61,343, according to health department data.

Out of the 519 fatalities, 307 occurred in the last 48 hours and 114 last week, while 98 deaths took place in the period before the last week, but were added to the toll now, the official data said.

As many as 54,224 patients were discharged from hospitals during the day, raising the number of recovered cases to 32,13,464. With this, Maharashtra's active cases increased to 6,83,856, the official data added. 

Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that the state cabinet has requested Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to impose a complete lockdown in the state to contain the surge of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the final call will be taken by the Chief Minister. 

A cabinet meeting was held earlier today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray regarding the lockdown. All the ministers gave their opinion and most of them were in favour of a complete lockdown. 

After the cabinet meeting, Jitendra Awhad said that the complete lockdown would be announced by the Chief Minister and its guidelines are being prepared. Another Cabinet Minister Eknath Shinde said that strict lockdown is required and the same would be announced on Wednesday.

Public Works Minister Eknath Shinde and Health Minister Rajesh Tope also informed that the cabinet decided to cancel the standard 10th exam of the state board.

The state has been reporting over 50,000 coronavirus cases every day in the last two weeks but people are flouting the existing restrictions on movement and gatherings, the ministers said after a cabinet meeting.

"All the cabinet ministers expressed views in favour of a strict lockdown to minimise the spread of COVID-19. Ministers come from all corners of the state, so it also indicates that the entire state needs this measure," Tope is quoted by PTI as saying.

"Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray could make an official announcement about more stringent measures tomorrow," he added.

Notably, Mumbai today recorded 7,192 new cases and 34 fatalities, taking the tally to 5,94,059 and the toll to 12,446.

With 2,65,925 new tests, the number of samples examined so far in Maharashtra has gone up to 2,43,41,736. Currently, 38,76,998 people are in-home quarantine, while 27,690 people are in institutional quarantine in the state, the health department said.

Maharashtra's COVID-19 recovery rate stood at 81.14 per cent, while the fatality rate was 1.55 per cent, the health department data said, adding that the state's positivity rate is 16.27 per cent.

(With Agency Inputs)