India has added 89,129 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours amid a worrying surge in Covid cases that has prompted states like Maharashtra to consider lockdown. Today’s surge is the highest since September 20 when 92,605 infections were recorded. 714 deaths were also reported during the period, taking the total number of fatalities to 1.64 lakh.
Situation is of “grave concern” in Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Haryana, the Centre said after a review meeting on Friday. These states and union territories account for 90 per cent of the cases and deaths in the country, it said.
Maharashtra, which has been worst-hit from COVID-19 so far, reported as many as 47,827 new cases yesterday – its highest since the pandemic spread to India in March 2020 – and 202 deaths. State capital Mumbai reported 8,648 cases in a 24-hour period, surpassing any previous high.
The possibility of a lockdown in Maharashtra can’t be ruled out if the surge in coronavirus cases continues, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Friday. “People have become complacent. We are in a Catch 22 situation – should we look at economy or health?” the Chief Minister said in a televised address.
Faced with an alarming spike in Covid cases, authorities in Pune have ordered a 12-hour night curfew starting 6 pm today for a period of at least one week. Pune on Friday recorded its highest single-day high of 9,086 cases, taking its tally to 5,51,508.
Delhi is also witnessing a worrying surge in cases with the city recording 3,594 fresh COVID-19 cases on Friday, the highest daily count this year.
