One of the worst Covid-hit states Maharashtra is finally seeing light at the end of a very long and dark tunnel. As the state emerges from its second strict lockdown, epidemiologists have good news and a warning.
After logging its lowest single-day tally in nearly two months on Monday, and having broken several pandemic records including from the first wave since March, Maharashtra on Tuesday reported 10,891 fresh cases. The state’s recovery rate has also shot up to 95.35 per cent. This combined with the consistent downswing in infections and number of deaths brings hope. And experts agree.
Rural areas of concern
Epidemiologists opine that it will take another week for Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra to come down substantially. At present, the maximum number of cases are being reported from rural areas and tier-two towns.
“These are places with a lower density of population. So, the virus is unlikely to spread very rapidly after this,” Pradip Awate, an epidemiologist with the Maharashtra government, told CNN-News18.
“Maharashtra has reached a plateau stage. The impact of the second wave is certainly coming down. The virus cycle in the urban areas is complete. Currently, rural areas are showing the maximum number of cases. Since the density of population is lower in rural areas, cases are expected to come down in a week,” he said further.
This is evidenced in the numbers from Kolhapur in western Maharashtra. While Kolhapur city reported just 300 cases, rural Kolhapur has new 1,028 infections.
Raigad, Ahmednagar and Pune (rural) are also some of the areas that have been reporting a high number of cases.
Earlier, cities like Mumbai, Pune were a point of concern, too, because of a record number of infections. On Tuesday, Mumbai reported 682 cases, Pune (city) had only 362.
To remedy this, the state government has decided to recruit 2,200 additional staffers for 118 medical facilities. Most of these medical facilities are in rural areas.
Their employment will lead to better medical facilities for rural areas, health minister Rajesh Tope said.
Cases down, positivity rate up
Maharashtra on Tuesday recorded 10,891 fresh coronavirus cases and 295 deaths and added 407 previously unreported fatalities, while 16,577 patients recovered from the infection. With the new additions in infections and fatalities, Maharashtra’s caseload rose to 58,52,891, while the death toll increased to 1,01,172.
On Monday, the state has reported 10,219 COVID-19 cases, the lowest after March 9 this year, and 154 fatalities. A total of 16,577 patients were discharged from hospitals during the day, raising the count of recoveries to 55,80,925 and leaving the state with 1,67,927 active cases.
Maharashtra’s case recovery rate now stands at 95.35 per cent, while the fatality rate is 1.73 per cent. With 2,11,042 new tests, the number of samples tested so far in Maharashtra went up to 3,69,07,181.
Easing curbs a calculative risk: Thackeray
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday had said that the government was taking a “calculated risk” by relaxing the coronavirus-induced restrictions in the state, and added that people need to take care of themselves.
The state government has announced a five-level plan to relax the coronavirus-induced restrictions in the state, based on the weekly positivity rate and the occupancy of oxygen beds.
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