63,729 new COVID-19 cases reported in Maharashtra

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 16 (ANI): As many as 63,729 new COVID-19 cases and 398 deaths were reported in Maharashtra in the last 24 hours, taking the total active cases in the state to 6,38,034, the state health department informed on Friday.
With this, the total positive cases in the state now stand at 37,03,584, including 30,04,391 recoveries and 59,551 deaths.
Out of the new cases, 8,839 were reported in Mumbai, 10,963 were reported in Pune, and 6,194 were reported in Nagpur.
In Mumbai, fines of over 24.89 lakhs have been collected from over 12,000 persons for spitting in public places over the last six months, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation informed.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday warned that if people don't adhere to the currently imposed restrictions, then the government may have to impose a lockdown like last year.
He also said that in private hospitals, he requested doctors to only use Remdesivir only in critical cases.
"COVID-19 patients' relatives insist doctors arrange Remdesivir regardless of infection's severity. I request doctors to use Remdesivir only in critical cases and need not do anything to arrange it. We are working on that," Pawar added.
He further said that all MLA and MLCs have been permitted to use 1 crore from their annual fund for COVID-related work in their constituency/area.
Earlier on Tuesday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced a series of 'strict restrictions' in the state till May 1 including the imposition of Section 144 from Wednesday in view of rising COVID-19 cases. He, however, refrained from calling it a 'lockdown'.
Under the new guidelines, all establishments, public places, activities will remain closed in the state. Only essential services will be exempted, and their operations to be unrestricted. (ANI)