Maharashtra sets up COVID-19 task force of 9 senior doctors as death toll rises to 160

The Maharashtra government on Monday set up a COVID-19 task force of nine senior doctors as coronavirus cases and deaths mount in Maharashtra, especially in Mumbai.

The task force will provide guidance to health professionals and streamline services in the state. The doctors have been tasked with playing a key role in tackling the unprecedented health crisis in Maharashtra which has so far claimed 160 lives, highest for any state in India.

Chief secretary Ajoy Mehta in an official statement said all nine doctors are from Mumbai would contribute in the ongoing fight against COVID-19.

"They will also be available for guidance to doctors and medical staff from other parts of the city," he said.

Mehta said most of the COVID-19 patients who have died so far had pre-existing diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and other chronic diseases.

The mortality rate of COVID-19 in the state is around 6-7 per cent, Mehta said.

Maharashtra is the worst-affected state in the country with the number of cases crossing the 2,000-mark on Monday. Notably, Maharashtra had crossed the 1000-mark of COVID-19 cases on April 7. The number of total cases has gone up to 2334, with the death toll rising to 160.

Mumbai city alone accounts for 1,540 COVID-19 cases and 101 deaths so far.

352 more people, including 242 from Mumbai, testing positive for the novel coronavirus infection on Monday while 11 fresh deaths were reported. Out of these 11 deaths, nine were reported from Mumbai while one death each was reported from Mira-Bhayandar near state capital and Pimpri Chinchwad near Pune.

Across the state, a total of 229 people have so far been discharged from hospitals after making full recovery.