The first two Covid-19 cases were recorded in Pune on March 9, 2020, and have now shot upto a whopping 23,14,413 cases documented since then, coming to nearly 20 per cent of all the infections notched in the country.

 

The current surge of 100,000 cases is the quickest, recorded within eight days since the state touched the 22 lakh mark on March 6.

 

The worst-hit continued to be the 'industrial triangle' comprising the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Pune and Nashik belts, which is re-emerging as among the worst hotspots in the country.

 

In terms of daily figures, the state has bounced back by six months to September 25 when the state recorded 17,794 cases.

 

With 50 more deaths, the state's progressive fatalities have now gone up to 52,816 now, the highest in India.

 

The Mumbai circle which comprises Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad has recorded 3,676 new cases including 1,963 only in the country's commercial capital, taking the tally to 759,860 and toll to 19,960.

 

The Pune circle that includes Pune, Solapur and Satara, registered 3,609 new cases taking the total to 560,038, while total fatalities stand at 11,861.

 

The Nashik circle which includes Nashik, Ahmednagar, Dhule, Jalgaon and Nandurbar districts accounted for 2,776 new cases and a total toll of 5,372.

 

The increasing case-load notwithstanding, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government has yet to announce any plans for fresh restrictions or lockdown in the MMR where the public transport and overcrowding in public places are considered the main culprits for the rising number of infections.

 

However, Pune and Nashik circles have already imposed a series of restrictions since the past few days to break the virus chain.