Maharashtra hostel reports 190 COVID-19 cases as state sees fresh spiral

As many as 190 COVID-19 cases have been reported from a hostel in Washim district of Maharashtra as the state faces a fresh onslaught of the pandemic.

Reports said 186 students and four teachers tested positive for the virus. The school compound has been declared a containment zone. Most of the affected students are from Amravati and Yavatmal, the two worst-hit districts in recent weeks. As many as 327 students reside in this hostel.

Maharashtra reported 8,807 COVID-19 cases and 80 deaths on Wednesday (February 24). Mumbai accounted for most cases (1,167) followed by Nagpur (1,048) and Amravati. There are 51,937 active Covid cases in the state. Around 63 per cent of the cases are reported from Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Thane and Amravati districts.

The state government has warned of strict measures if people do not follow precautionary and preventive measures.

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The Maharashtra chief secretary has written to all state department secretaries asking them to suggest staggered office timing to reduce crowding in Mantralaya, the state secretariat.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has said a second COVID wave could be a matter of concern for all, which has prompted him to restrict religious, political and social events in the state. Thackeray said he would observe the situation for a fortnight and then decide whether to impose another lockdown.

The daily rise in the virus infections in the country was recorded above 15,000 after nearly a month, taking the country’s total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,10,46,914, according to the Union Health Ministry data on Thursday.

A total 16,738 infections were reported in a day, while the death toll increased to 1,56,705 with 138 daily new fatalities, the data showed.

India’s COVID tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16, a PTI report pointed out.

It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

The Indian Council of Medical Research said 21,38,29,658 samples have been tested up to February 24 with 7,93,383 samples being tested on Wednesday, PTI said.

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