As of today, April 3, India has registered 89,129 new COVID19 cases in the last 24 hours. At 47,913, Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases, a jump from yesterday’s 43,183 new cases in the state. 

In the last 24 hours, 714 deaths due to the virus were reported in the country of which 481, or 68 per cent of the total deaths, were from Maharashtra.

Situation remains grim in the state and this was pointed out by the state chief minister Uddhav Thackeray in his public address last evening.

“From 300-350 daily cases in January-end the number of patients in Mumbai has increased to 8,500… Then, the daily cases were around 24,000, and now it stands at about 43,000 as on 1st April. The number may cross 45,000 today,” the chief minister said.

He went on to inform that 62 per cent of isolation beds and 48 per cent of ICU beds are occupied. Also, 25 per cent of beds with oxygen facilities and around 25 per cent of the beds with ventilators are occupied. The state government is trying to add more health infrastructure, but since the coronavirus cases are rising fast, the state may be out under a lockdown, he said. 

Also Read: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray warns of a lockdown in the state

The chief minister went on to that “for one year, our doctors, nurses, staff, police, ASHA and Anganwadi workers and revenue staff have been working around the clock. Some of them have also been infected by COVID… Just two or three days after recovery, they have been reporting to work. They are testing people for COVID, going door-to-door. They are tired and still not taking a pause.”

Thackeray informed that Maharashtra may be the first state to start field hospitals like the Indian Army. In view of the rising cases, the number of beds in the state has been increased to 37.5 million. It includes isolation, oxygen, ICU and dialysis beds. The daily testing capacity in the state has been increased to 18.2 million. The state plans to increase this further to 25 million.

In his address over the COVID19 situation, Thackeray said the state may be put under “strict restrictions soon” as the COVID19 situation seems to be worsening. He said that from March, the second wave of coronavirus is more severe than the previous one. 

He also warned of a lockdown in Maharashtra if the situation gets worse. “I am giving an indication for a complete lockdown, but not announcing it formally. If things do not improve visibly in a couple of days and if no other solution is found, we will have to announce another lockdown like it is being done globally,” he said. 

Meanwhile, India’s total active caseload reached 658,909. Maharashtra continues to account for nearly 60 per cent of the total active caseload in the country. At 70,851, Pune has the highest active cases in the state. It is followed by Mumbai (57,687), Nagpur (50,775), Thane (45,033), and Nashik (37,263). This data was shared by the Ministry of Health & Family welfare today.

Apart from Maharashtra, several other states have started to enforce COVID-19 restrictions. More details here. Delhi chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, has however refused to put the national capital under a lockdown for now. 

Also Read: COVID-19’s second wave: Which state govts are imposing a lockdown? Details here