india

Updated: Apr 30, 2020 10:40 IST

Maharashtra recorded 597 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours, and is inching towards the 10,000-mark, the Union health ministry data showed on Thursday. The exact number of cases in Maharashtra stand at 9,915, according to the health ministry website.

Mumbai leads in the number of new Covid-19 cases - the city recorded 475 cases on Wednesday - taking its tally to 6,644. It is now the worst-affected city in the country.

On Wednesday, Maharashtra also recorded its single highest-day toll with 32 deaths reported, of which 26 were in Mumbai.

Mumbai’s situation continues to be grim as the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) projected that the cases in Mumbai (city and suburban districts) will reach 28,859 cases by May 15.

The total number of cases in Mumbai city, suburbs, Pune, Palghar and Thane may collectively cross 37,000 by May 15, the ministry projects.

The state government has, however, dismissed the projection and said that the multiple mathematical models have given various projections and the state’s plan is being based on a realistic model.

Maharashtra till date has tested 1,37,159 samples in total, of which 1,26,376 were negative.

State health minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday said that the doubling rate in Mumbai has improved from seven days to 10 days now, and the mortality rate has also reduced.

The ministry on Wednesday also said that stranded migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists and students will be allowed to move with conditions during the lockdown. The Maharashtra government is preparing guidelines to transport the stranded migrants in the state.

The number of Covid-19 cases in the country increased by 1,718 in the last 24 hours, pushing the overall tally up to 33,050. The number of deaths went up to 1,074 after 66 more people died of the disease in the last 24 hours.