The daily test positivity rate in Mumbai also rose to 0.95% (41,628 tests as against 398 cases) after dropping to below 0.7% for some days. The state added 159 fatalities, while Mumbai added seven deaths. Maharashtra’s caseload rose to over 64.4 lakh, of which more than 7.4 lakh were in Mumbai and the total deaths climbed to nearly 1.4 lakh, of which 15,963 were in Mumbai.

BMC officials, however, said there is no cause for concern. “The daily positivity rate is still below 1%. As we are testing more, more cases are detected,” said BMC additional commissioner Suresh Kakani. He had spoken to Kerala health officials who said that despite the rise in cases, less than 5% needed hospitalisation. “In Mumbai, we have a ready infrastructure in terms of beds, medicines and oxygen supply.

Meanwhile, over 95% villages in Palghar district have been declared Covid-free, with only 91 active cases. The tribal belts of Mokhada and Vikramgad have zero cases. District officials said with 859 of the 903 villages being free of the infection, more schools are likely to reopen. Palghar remains the least vaccinated district at 31%—of the over 9.4 lakh doses administered, only 2.4 lakh have got two shots.

According to the weekly Covid update presented to the cabinet, the weekly case growth rate of the state has dropped to 0.07% and the average weekly positivity rate is 2.5% and there are nine districts which have a higher weekly positivity rate than the state’s average. “We are taking steps as per the predictions given by the Centre for the third wave. We have ramped up our bed capacity as well as oxygen production,” said state health minister Rajesh Tope.