New Delhi: With 229 people testing positive on Thursday, the number of coronavirus cases in Maharashtra reached 1,364, with the state also reporting 25 fatalities, taking the death toll so far to 97. The bulk of new cases were reported in Mumbai.

"Both the number of new patients and that of the deaths are the highest for a single day so far," said an official of the state health department. So far, 125 persons have recovered and been discharged from hospitals in the state.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said 79 people tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, taking the number of such cases in the country's financial capital to 775.

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope described the situation in the state as "worrisome".

"Despite our efforts, the lockdown is being defied by people under various excuses. It is worrisome that the number of COVID-19 cases is not coming down,” he said after a cabinet meeting.

Of the 25 deaths (15 men and 10 women), Pune reported 14 deaths followed by nine in Mumbai and one each from Ratnagiri and Malegaon, said the state health official.

But authorities in Pune said only six coronavirus patients died in the district since Wednesday night.

A 101-year-old woman in Mumbai, who had tested positive for coronavirus, died on Thursday, becoming the oldest coronavirus casualty in the state.

"Twelve of the 25 persons who died today were above 60, while 11 were in the 40-60 age bracket. Only two were less than 40 years old," said the official, adding that most of them suffered from diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma or cardiac ailments.

So far 54 persons have died in Mumbai and 24 in Pune, the official said. But the BMC said the death toll in the state capital was 65.

Out of the 1,364 COVID-19 patients, 876 are from Mumbai and 181 from Pune, said the official.

New measures to arrest spread

The health minister on Thursday unveiled new measures like deployment of SRPF in Mumbai's congested areas and enlisting the Fire Brigade to sanitise public toilets to minimise chances of coronavirus contraction.

Tope rued that some people are defying the ongoing lockdown, enforced to halt the spread of COVID-19, on some pretext or the other.

In a statement issued after the cabinet meeting, Tope said Maharashtra will open some closed schools and use them as temporary shelters for people living in highly congested areas as well for community kitchen for those who have lost jobs due to the lockdown.

"During my visits to densely populated areas such as Dharavi, I noticed that a large number of people are dependent on public toilets, spots from where infection can spread. There are some public toilets where one seat is used by 200 people during the day. The state government has decided to use Fire Brigade’s powerful jet spray to sanitise such public toilets every hour. It would minimise the chances of people transmitting the infection,” he said.

Tope said food will be supplied to the homes of daily-wagers who are out of job currently.

"Similarly, in high density areas, daily wagers who had some small-scale work at their homes no longer have any source of income. We will use community kitchens as well as local NGOs to cook and supply food to their doorstep every day,” he said.

"We have decided to convert school classrooms as temporary shelters for these people so they can avoid crowding on roads and maintain social distancing strictly,” he added.

(With inputs from PTI)