More on Covid-19

The number of fresh Covid-19 cases dropped on Wednesday in Maharashtra and Delhi, the two worst affected states, even as 29 more deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours across the country, taking the toll to 424.While Delhi recorded just 17 new cases, its lowest single-day tally in April, Maharashtra reported 232 — the lowest figure in the last six days and a dip by 34% from Tuesday’s numbers. Nine new Covid-19 deaths were reported in Maharashtra and two in Delhi in the last 24 hours. Significantly, no new casualties were reported from MP, the worst affected state in the country after Maharashtra in terms of deaths. However, MP recorded its highest single-day tally of 197, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 938.Officials in Delhi said the significant drop in fresh cases in the state could be attributed to “zero positive cases among the persons evacuated from the Nizamuddin area. He said of the total 1578 positive cases in Delhi, 1080 or 68% are those who were evacuated from the Nizamuddin mosque. With two fresh deaths, the toll in the national capital has reached 32.With nine fresh deaths, Maharashtra’s toll has reached 187 while the total confirmed cases stand at 2916. Mumbai reported two deaths, the lowest in last 11 days, taking the toll to 114. With 140 fresh cases on Wednesday, which is a decline of 35% from the previous day’s numbers, the total confirmed cases in Mumbai now stand at 1896.Elsewhere in the country, five deaths each were reported from Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, two each from TN, UP and Karnataka and one each from Rajasthan and Meghalaya. Meghalaya recorded its first death when a 69-year-old doctor, also the first person to test positive for the virus in the state two days ago, died in the morning. Six others, who are either family members or helpers of the deceased, who had no travel history, have also tested positive. The doctor’s is the second death in the north-east region, the first being that of a man in Assam’s Hailakandi district.On the positive side, more than 1100 people have recovered from the disease across India as per the data shared by the states. At 218, Kerala has maximum such recoveries.Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani was put under a week of home quarantine even as his state saw a record number of 127 people testing positive for the virus, taking the tally to 766. With five more deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the state’s toll now is 33.Andhra Pradesh reported five fresh deaths, taking the state’s toll to 14. As many as 42 new cases were reported, taking the tally to 525.Uttar Pradesh reported 55 fresh cases, a majority of them from capital Lucknow, which also recorded its first death.In Kerala, only one Covid-19 case (Kannur) was reported on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases to 387. At the same time, seven more people tested negative for the virus.