Maharashtra’s death toll breaches 140k mark, amid dip in Covid fatalities

Even as Covid-19 deaths are on a steady decline, Maharashtra’s death toll breached the 140,000 mark, with its tally touching 140,016 on Sunday. Maharashtra on Sunday recorded 1,410 new Covid-19 cases and 18 deaths, official data showed.

The first wave which started on March 9, 2020, and went up to February 9, saw 2,048,802 cases and 51,360 deaths. Against it, the second wave which continues has logged 88,656 deaths.

Although fewer deaths and new cases have been reported in the past 24 days of October, the fatality rate has been high at 1.86%, as the number of deaths recorded during this period is 949 with 50,966 new cases. In contrast, the fatality rate in September for the first 24 days was 1.68 %, with 87,033 new cases and 1,463 deaths.

State surveillance officer Dr Pradeep Awate said, “A fatality rate of less than 2% indicates the virus is under control. In addition, we have been able to control the death rate as our focus is on critical cases. Even in case of new patients, we isolate and arrange instant medication.”

Dr Wiqar Shaikh, professor of medicine, Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Hospital, said the death rate could have been much lower had the authorities been cautious after the first wave.

“The authorities just dismantled the temporary infrastructure they had readied in the first wave and acted as if Covid-19 has disappeared. They should have used the period before the second wave to beef up the entire health infrastructure in anticipation of the second wave. The history of pandemics has shown there will be multiple waves, but all this was ignored,” said Shaikh.

He even blamed the citizens, saying they took part in large gatherings after October last year and hardly wore a mask. Mumbai saw 400 new cases with six deaths. The case tally is 754,507 and the death toll is 16,213.

A total of 130,732 tests were done on Sunday, while the number of recoveries was 1,520. The total number of active patients in Maharashtra currently stands at 23,894, while the total number of deaths has now reached 140,016.

There are currently 23,894 active patients across the state, wherein Pune tops with 7,210 patients, followed by Mumbai with 5,075 active patients and Thane with 3,295.

The death toll has now reached 140,016, with Pune leading with 19,574 deaths, followed by Mumbai with 16,213 and Thane with 11,418.