Mumbai reported 5,185 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours - the city's biggest ever single-day spike, and a nearly 48 per cent increase from the preceding period - government data showed on Wednesday evening. The city also reported six deaths linked to the virus in the same period.
This is the first time that Mumbai has reported over 5,000 cases in a single day.
On Tuesday evening the Greater Mumbai Municipal Corporation reported 3,512 new cases - an eight per cent increase over Monday. On Sunday the city logged 3,775 new cases.
With the steady spike - there are now nearly 30,000 active cases - alarm bells now ringing in Mumbai.
The city has banned celebration of Holi - which falls on March 28 and 29 - in public or private spaces. Authorities will also carry out random Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) of people in public spaces.
Those found violating the no-Holi order or refusing to be tested will be charged under the Epidemic Diseases Act or Disaster Management Act.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has warned of a lockdown if people continue to disobey rules.
Maharashtra - the worst-affected state - is leading what is rapidly becoming India's second wave of Covid cases; there are over 2.3 lakh active cases in the state and over 53,000 have died so far.
The state reported 31,855 new cases on Wednesday evening - up from 28,699 on Tuesday and, like Mumbai, the state's biggest ever single-day spike in new cases.
Earlier today the Union Health Ministry said the situation there and in Punjab is of "grave concern".
The ministry confirmed that a "double mutation" strain of the coronavirus - first detected in Nagpur in December last year - had infected over 200 people in Maharashtra alone. The ministry also said it was too soon to conclude if the "double mutant" strain was behind the spike in cases across India.
"Pandemic fatigue is still the main cause behind the surge," Dr Sujeet Kumar, Director of the NCDC (National Centre for Disease Control) said, referring to laxity that has crept in regarding safety measures like wearing of masks or social distancing.
The centre has urged states and union territories that are seeing a rapid rise in Covid cases to ensure people follow Covid-appropriate behaviour, particularly with another holiday season around the corner
They have also been asked to limit gatherings in public places - theatres, halls and offices will function at 50 per cent capacity till March 31 as well - and accelerate vaccination for priority population groups in districts reporting a higher number of new cases.
With input from PTI
US Lawmakers Back Covid Chinese Lab Leak Theory After Two-Year Probe New XEC Covid Variant Spreads To 27 Countries, Here's What We Know So Far Study Shows How Long Covid Is Debilitating Children's Health 'Atul Subhash Justice' Campaigners Chase Rahul Gandhi Car, He Throws KitKat Protests At Parliament Turn Into Injury vs Injury Claims By BJP, Congress Ambedkar Row: Congress Doubles Down After BJP's Soros Edit Of Protest Pic Mexican Drug Cartel Boss 'El Chabelo' Killed In A Shooutout With Police "They Said Bhaiyya Pushed...": Priyanka Slams "Conspiracy" Against Rahul Gandhi Sunglasses To Snapchat, How AI Became Personal In 2024 Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.