Coronavirus, Mumbai Police: Over 2,000 COVID-19 cases have been reported from cops in Maharashtra (File)
Maharashtra Police has reported 114 new novel coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, according to data released Saturday morning, taking the total number of active cases in the agency to 1,330. The number of deaths linked to the COVID-19 virus is 26, with one fatality in the preceding 24 hour-period.
On Thursday there were 1,216 active COVID-19 cases among police officers in the state. On Wednesday 131 fresh infections were reported, news agency ANI said, taking the total number of cases to 2,095.
Last month Mumbai cops over 55 had been asked to stay at home while the state tries to bring the outbreak under control. Those over 52 and with medical conditions like diabetes and hypertension were similarly instructed.
Police officers, doctors and paramedical staff, and sanitation workers are seen at being of higher risk of infection given the nature of their work.
Across Maharashtra, which is the worst-affected state in the country, 2,682 new cases and 116 deaths - the most in a single day - were reported on Friday, taking the total to 62,228 and 2,098, respectively.
State capital Mumbai, seen as the financial nerve centre of India, is the nation's worst-affected city with 36,932 cases and 1,173 deaths so far; on Friday the city recorded 1,447 fresh infections and 38 deaths.
The fourth phase of the lockdown is scheduled to end midnight Sunday. Relaxations in restriction of movement and economic activity are expected to be granted by centre and states in the fifth phase.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has said that while these relaxations will be applied to large parts of the state, Mumbai itself is unlikely to see any let-up.
The spike in cases in Maharashtra comes amid a worrying surge across the country. India has reported over 6,000 COVID-19 cases every day since May 21, with the last two yielding over 7,000 each.
There have been over 1.74 lakh cases in India, Health Ministry data showed Saturday morning, with 86,422 of them still active and 4,971 deaths. The country is the ninth most-affected by the coronavirus pandemic, having moved up two spots in less than seven days.
With input from ANI