Out of 82,056 active Covid-19 cases (as per the State government’s health portal, July 28 morning) 43,818, that is 53.4 per cent cases, are from five districts in western Maharashtra known as the sugar belt of the State because of sugarcane cultivation and concentration of sugar mills.

The sugar belt of the State comprises Pune, Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, and Solapur. These districts top the list of active Covid cases in the State, with Pune leading the chart at 15,344, followed by Kolhapur (8,749), Sangli (8,348), Satara (7,271) and Solapur (4,106).

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However, Pune’s fatality rate is 1.7 per cent while Kolhapur (2.8 per cent) and Sangli (2.7 per cent) are among the top five districts with the highest fatality rate. Nanded district has the highest fatality rate of 2.9 per cent. Kolhapur and Sangli are at the bottom of the recovery rate chart in the State with a recovery rate of 92.6 per cent, which is lower than the State average of 96.5 per cent. Despite being on the top of the chart of active cases, Pune has a recovery rate of 96.9 per cent.

Floods and aftermath

Kolhapur, Sangli, and parts of Satara district are badly affected by floods. Vaccination drives have been put on hold because of floodwater. In the last two days, floodwater has receded but many people continue to live in makeshift camps. The IMD has warned of more showers in the next few days.

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State Health Minister Rajesh Tope has asked health department officials to ensure that vaccination drives are not affected because of floods. He said that the health department is gearing up to face a post-flood outbreak of ailments in the affected region.

Mumbai Covid cases

Mumbai stands sixth in the active cases chart at 6,783 with a recovery rate of 96.6 per cent and a fatality rate of 2.2 per cent. Only about 8 per cent of Maharashtra’s active cases are in Mumbai. Out of total positive cases in Maharashtra to date, 11 per cent are from Mumbai while 17 per cent are from Pune.

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