[ad_1]
MUMBAI/PUNE: The number of covid-19 cases in Mumbai and Maharashtra in June rose nine times the May tally, indicating a surge in viral activity.
But the June tally – 88,464 cases in Maharashtra and 46,773 cases in Mumbai – was barely a tenth of the caseload in January when the third Omicron wave was active in Mumbai. The state saw over 10 lakh cases in January, including 2.5 lakh from Mumbai.
“We will continue seeing such a surge in cases from time to time,” said Dr. Gautam Bhansali from Bombay Hospital near New Marine Lines. As Covid-19 has reached an endemic stage in India, seasonal surges, as seen with the H1N1 ‘swine’ flu, will continue for years. At the moment, however, experts said that the May-June surge in Covid-19 is declining.
On Thursday, the declining trend continued as Mumbai witnessed a 23% drop in cases (1,265) as compared to Wednesday. The corresponding drop in Maharashtra was slight – from 3,696 to 3,640 cases. The state registered three deaths – one each in Mumbai, Kolhapur, and Ahmednagar – as against seven on the previous day.
State surveillance officer Pradip Awate told TOI that the week-on-week tally showed a decline. “New Covid cases grew by 140% between the May 30-June 5 week and the May 23-29 week. The caseload in June 15-21 was 45% in comparison to the June 8-14 week, while the growth rate in the last week of June (June 21-27) was 7% when compared to the week June 14-20.”
Dr. Awate said the weekly stats showed the rising trend in Covid cases was slowing down. “For the first time since the ongoing surge began, we expect a lower number of new cases in Maharashtra during the first week of July in comparison to June last week,” he said.
Weekly Covid cases declined in districts such as Mumbai and Palghar in the last week of June but increased in places such as Raigad and Pune. “But like the third wave, the latest Covid surge in Pune began after Mumbai’s, hence it is natural that we should first start seeing a fall in infections in Mumbai,” he added.
,
[ad_2]
