Maharashtra Records Highest New COVID Cases Ever; Lockdown-like Restrictions Return in State | Key Points

People should celebrate Holi in a simple manner considering the rise in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra and crowding should be avoided, the state government said on Friday.

Edited By: Priyanka

Updated: March 26, 2021, 11:20 PM IST

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https://www.india.com/news/india/maharashtra-records-highest-new-covid-cases-ever-issues-holi-good-friday-easter-sops-check-full-list-4538878/ Copy

There are 2,82,451 active cases in Maharashtra as of now.

Mumbai: Maharashtra recorded 36,902 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, the highest one-day rise since the coronavirus pandemic began in the country last year. The caseload in the state rose to 26,37,735, taking its positivity rate to 13. 86 per cent. With 112 fatalities reported on Friday, the death toll reached 53,907. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray earlier in the day ordered night curfew in the entire state from Sunday (March 28) onwards owing to the alarming rise in cases.

Mumbai reported 5,515 new cases, its highest daily rise till now, while the nearby Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Corporation reported 1,020 cases, its highest rise so far. Pune city and neighbouring Pimpri Chinchwad reported 3,679 and 1,782 new cases, respectively. As many as 1,686 cases were reported in other areas of the Pune district.

With the discharge of 17,019 patients from hospitals, the recovery count in the state increased to 23,00,056. There are 2,82,451 active cases now. As many as 1,56,685 coronavirus tests were carried out on Friday, taking the total to 1,90,35,439.

State issues Holi, Good Friday, Easter guidelines. Check complete list of SOPs here:

1. People should celebrate Holi in a simple manner considering the rise in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra and crowding should be avoided, the state government said on Friday.
   Holi will be celebrated on March 28 and Rang Panchami falls a day later.
2. The festival should be celebrated in a simple manner, observing social distancing norms and without coming together in any way given the increasing spread of COVID-19. Rang Panchami too should be celebrated in a simple manner, the government said in a statement.
3. Noting that the state’s Konkan region has a tradition of carrying a ‘palkhi’ or palanquin in a procession on Holi, the state government said this should be confined to temples and asked the local administration to do the needful.
4. No big religious or cultural programmes should be organised on the day of Holi and Rang Panchami, the government said.
5. The state government also urged the Christian community to observe Good Friday (on April 2) and celebrate Easter Sunday (on April 4) in a simple manner.
6. The government said, if a church is spacious, maximum of 50 persons should attend the prayer meet there during the holy week from March 28 to April 4.
7. If the church is smaller in size, then a special prayer meet should be held in the presence of 10-25 persons, and four to five special masses may be organised depending on the need.
8. It said adherence to COVID-19 protocols, including wearing masks, using hand sanitisers etc, must be ensured.
9. Efforts must also be made to broadcast prayer meets online, said the government.
10. No religious programme that can attract crowd in any way should be organised. Besides, procession should not be taken out, the statement said.

(With inputs from PTI)