Maharashtra reports 50% increase with 8,067 COVID-19 cases, eight deaths

MUMBAI: Maharashtra reported 8,067 new coronavirus cases, as much as 50 per cent more than the day before, and eight deaths on Friday, the health department said.

The state, which has witnessed a dramatic rise in coronavirus cases in the last ten days of 2021, also recorded four new Omicron variant infections.

On Thursday, the state had reported 5,368 new coronavirus infections and 22 deaths. The COVID-19 case tally of Maharashtra rose to 66,78,821 on the last day of the year.

The death toll of the pandemic increased to 1,41,526.

The state also recorded four new cases of Omicron — one each in Vasai-Virar, Navi Mumbai, Mira Bhayander and Panvel.

All these areas are close to Mumbai.

The state has so far recorded 454 cases of Omicron, marked as a ‘variant of concern’ by the WHO. The case fatality rate in the state is 2.11 per cent.

As many as 1,766 patients were discharged, taking the tally of those recovered so far to 65,09,096.

The coronavirus recovery rate in the state is 97.46 per cent.

Maharashtra now has 24,509 active cases.

Mumbai recorded 5,428 new COVID-19 cases, a steep rise from 3,555 the day before, and one death.

The larger Mumbai region, which comprises the metropolis and its satellite cities, recorded 6,868 new cases, followed by the Pune region (746 cases), Nashik (217), Nagpur (99), Kolhapur (55), Latur (44), Aurangabad (29) and the Akola region (9).

Only the Akola district and municipal corporations of Malegaon and Parbhani did not report any new COVID-19 cases.

Pune region reported five deaths, while Mumbai, Latur and Nashik regions recorded a single death each. Kolhapur, Aurangabad, Akola and Nagpur regions reported zero fatalities.

As many as 1,22,850 coronavirus tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, taking their cumulative tally to 6,90,10,153.

Currently 1,75,592 people are in home quarantine and 1,079 are in institutional quarantine.

Coronavirus figures of Maharashtra are as follows: Positive cases 66,78,821; fresh cases 8,067; death toll 1,41,526; recoveries 65,09,096, active cases 24,509, total tests 6,90,10,153. (PTI)