KEY STORY
Maharashtra on Wednesday reported 925 new coronavirus positive cases, four of which were of Omicron variant infection, and 10 fresh fatalities, the health department said. With this, the statewide caseload rose to 66,46,061, while the death toll increased to 1,41,298, it said in a health bulletin.
On Tuesday, the state had reported 684 new COVID-19 cases and 24 fatalities. According to a report released by the Pune-based National Institute of Virology (NIV), four persons were found infected with the Omicron strain, the health department said. With this, the tally of Omicron cases in the state reached 32.
Out of these four patients, two are from Osmanabad, one from Mumbai and one patient is from Buldhana.
State health secretary Dr Pradeep Vyas, while making a presentation in the Maharashtra cabinet meeting held in Mumbai, said the Omicron variant is spreading fast in the world and Maharashtra is likely to see a surge in cases infected by it in January next year.
The cases of Omicron infection will be found in rural areas as well as in cities, he added.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has instructed officials to take extra efforts to complete the administration of the second dose of anti-COVID-19 vaccines to all eligible people.
The World Health Organisation, which had classified Omicron as a ‘variant of concern’, recently said that Omicron is spreading at a rate not seen with any previous strain.
A total of 929 patients were discharged in the last 24 hours, taking the tally of recovered patients to 64,94,617. There are now 6,467 active coronavirus cases in Maharashtra.
The state’s COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 97.72 per cent, while the fatality rate is 2.12 per cent, it said.
A total of 1,18,822 people were tested for coronavirus during the day, taking their cumulative count in the state to 6,71,82,510.
Mumbai reported 238 new COVID-19 cases and zero fatality, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Mumbai division, which comprises the city and its satellite townships, saw 417 cases and one fatality.
Pune division reported 297 new cases, Nashik (123), Aurangabad (15), Latur (22), Kolhapur (34), Nagpur (eight) and the Akola division (nine), the bulletin said.
CONCLUSION
Pune division recorded six deaths, while Nagpur, Akola, Aurangabad and Kolhapur divisions did not report any fatality.
Each administrative division consists of a set of districts.
The coronavirus figures of Maharashtra are as follows: Positive cases 66,46,061, new cases 925, death toll 1,41,298, recoveries 64,94,617, active cases 6,467, total tests 6,71,82,510.
