23 per cent of total coronavirus cases in India come from the state of Maharashtra alone, while it accounts for almost 29 per cent of total deaths resulting from coronavirus in the country.
This means that the mortality rate stands at 6.84 per cent in Maharashtra—while it is only 3.27 per cent nationally.
As of April 14, the state reported 2,340 COVID-19 positive cases at last count while the national number was well over 10,000. Maharashtra has the most cases of all the states with 2,340, followed closely by Delhi with 1,510 and Tamil Nadu with 1,173.
Cases have also spiked faster in Maharashtra than in other states. While the first three cases in the state were reported on March 9, it took hardly 37 days for the figure to shoot up to 344 cases. The number of deaths in the state also grew faster than the national trend.
The Medical and Drugs Department (MEDD), Maharashtra shared a comprehensive analysis of the situation in the state and provided specific comparisons with the all-India figures, based on the information given by the World Health Organisation, so as to give a perspective on the challenging scenario posed by COVID-19 in Maharashtra.
As per the district-wise distribution shown in the report, with data from the state health department of the state, Mumbai contributes the most number of COVID-19 cases (1,540) followed by the Pune Municipal Corporation (272). Of the remaining districts, 13 report COVID-19 cases in double digits not exceeding 53 (for Thane Municipal Corporation) while the remaining districts have under ten cases each. This means that Mumbai alone has 65 per cent of the COVID-19 cases in the state.
400 of the 1,982 cases—20 per cent—are of patients between 21 to 30 years of age. The age group which experts say is the most vulnerable to the infection caused by the novel coronavirus, 61-70, makes up for 192 cases. 60 per cent of COVID-19 patients in the state are male.
As against a grim scenario, it is relieving to know that while almost 41,000 swab samples have been tested in the state so far, almost 95 per cent of them have been negative while 4.83 per cent have been positive. At present, of the 1,300 patients who are admitted in hospitals across the state for COVID-19, 84 per cent are asymptomatic while 14 per cent are symptomatic, while 2 per cent remain critical.
Things are further put into perspective when national figures are compared with those of the other countries. For instance, the number of cases reported in the fifth week since the first infection was 34 for India, 70,000 for China and 108 for the United States.
While India reported over 1,000 cases in the ninth week, the USA had over one lakh. Similarly, Italy had over 120,000 cases by this time while France had over 28,000 cases.
Maharashtra forms task force to suggest COVID-19 patient protocols
In a bid to contain the aggressively growing number of COVID-19 cases in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation area and in Maharashtra, the state government on April 14 constituted a task force of specialist doctors from different fields including nephrology, pulmonology, paediatry and others, and has designated six hospitals in the city as COVID-19 critical care hospitals.
Under the chairmanship of Dr Sanjay Oak—paediatrician and formerly the dean and director of Mumbai's KEM hospital, the task force will include among its members Dr. Zahir Udwadia (P.D. Hinduja hospital), Dr Santoshi Nagvekar (Lilavati hospital), Dr. Kedar Toraskar (Wockhardt hospital), Dr. Rahul Pandit (Fortis hospital), Dr Nitin Karnik (Lokmanya Tilak hospital), Dr Zaheer Virani (PAKH), Dr OM Srivastav (Kasturba, Jaslok) and Dr Praveen Bangar (KEM hospital).
According to the statement issued by the government, the task force has been constituted to suggest measures to minimize the death rate and clinical management and treatment of critically ill COVID-19 patients. For this purpose, the state government has also designated six specialised hospitals which will be designated as COVID-19 critical care hospitals. These are Dr. Bhulabhai Nanavati hospital, St George hospital, Saifee hospital, Wockhardt hospital, Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray hospital, Seven Hills Hospital.
“Mumbai with its population of 20 million and its dreadful overcrowding is the ideal petri dish for COVID to spread. 50 per cent of Mumbai’s population live in slums or chawls or have no permanent abode. How do you isolate and quarantine a huge population like Dharavi? I think our public health system is to be commended on doing a great job under the circumstances,” said respiratory diseases specialist Dr. Zahir Udwadia while speaking to THE WEEK hours after the official announcement was made.