Mumbai: With 25 deaths, Maharashtra on Thursday April 9 recorded its highest single-day toll, while 229 new coronavirus cases were recorded, health officials said here.
The latest deaths included that of the oldest victim - a 101-year-old woman - so far in the state, as well as the country.
This takes the total number of Covid-19 deaths in Maharashtra to 97 - with Mumbai and Pune jointly accounting for the lion's share of casualties - at 54 and 24, respectively.
With over 200 new cases, the number of infectees in the state now touched a staggering 1,364.
Among the Mumbai fatalities was the 101-year old woman, who died of hypertension complications in a private facility, B.S. Hospital here.
As many as 14 deaths occurred in Pune, plus one each in Malegaon and Ratnagiri, and of the total 25, 10 were females and 15 were males.
In an encouraging development, 125 patients have been fully cured and been discharged for their homes till date, the officials said.
A whopping 36,533 persons are in 'home quarantine' and 4,731 are in institutional quarantine.
To cater to the growing demand for isolation facilities, the National Sports Club of India has become the country's first quarantine centre in a sporting facility, and can house around 500 patients.
The BMC plans to set up institutional quarantine facilities for more than 11,000 people in the 24 wards in Mumbai, the worst-hit by Covid-19 in the country so far.
Simultaneously, as the congested but carefree Dharavi causes worries for the health authorities, Health Minister Rajesh Tope announced that the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) would be deployed in that slum, and other slum pockets in the city to strictly enforce the lockdown.
With a population of around 800,000 crammed in barely 2.25 sq. kms, Dharavi has already recorded 3 coronavirus deaths and 17 positive cases, though Tope on Wednesday ruled out "completely sealing" off Asia's biggest slum.
To prevent risks of contracting the disease in the course of duties, the Mumbai Police requisitioned the state's first 'sanitiser van' which will move around the entire city from Thursday.
Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh took a demonstration of the van which will go around the city and help field police personnel to 'sanitise' themselves while serving in sensitive localities, said Deputy Commissioner of Police Pranaya Ashok.
Meanwhile, as per Central guidelines, the government has implemented cluster containment in areas with maximum number of Covid-19 cases or casualties and set up 4261 teams to survey over 1.60 million people in Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Palghar Buldhana, Nagpur, and other cities.
Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has accused the Centre of not exercising precautions like Maharashtra to grant permission for the Tablighi Jamaat event last month in Delhi which has resulted in a spurt of corona cases in the state, as elsewhere.
Till date, at least 25 infectees are those who attended the Tablighi Jamaat, and Deshmukh said that around 50-plus others have switched off their phones and cannot be traced, raising apprehensions.
For all the latest News, Opinions and Views, download ummid.com App.
Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic.
5 test positive for Coronavirus in Malegaon, 1 dead
Also Read
Two from Malegaon test Coronavirus positive in UP's Bulandshahr
Ramadan 2020 likely to start in Saudi Arabia on April 23, a day later in India, Pakistan
Muslim wagers, vendors bear the brunt of Coronavirus-Tablighi Jamaat link
Apologise, Pay 1 cr in Damages: Tablighi Jamaat legal notice to Times Now
7-yr-old with no Tablighi Jamaat link among new Gujarat Coronavirus cases
India stares at 150th Coronavirus death, Positive cases get past 5000
14-month-old dies of Coronavirus in Gujarat, State death tally surges
At Delhi's Bhagirath Palace, its as if the lockdown has already ended
Don't give communal colour to Coronavirus: TN CM
Makkah, Madinah report 96 new cases; Saudi Corona deaths surge
City of the Prophet Madinah reports 02 Coronavirus deaths
Necessary to extend Coronavirus lockdown till June: KCR
India Coronavirus lockdown may not end on April 14
"It's horrible": Doctor fighting Corona describes grim conditions at NY hospitals
With 356 deaths, Holland is new Coronavirus epicenter in Europe
Close to 150,000 Americans infected by Coronavirus
Coronavirus Latest Alert: US could be new epicentre by April
USA Covid-19 count surges past China, Italy; New York worst affected
Govt, not Tablighi Markaz, to blame for Corona Pandemics deaths
Six die in Telangana after visiting Tablighi Markaz in Delhi Nizamuddin
Coronavirus: FIR against Maulana Saad Kandhalvi of Nizamuddin Tablighi Markaz