NEW DELHI, Feb 20: There has been a surge in coronavirus infection cases in several States after a steady fall in the number since mid-September last. The sudden spike has been noticed in Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu in the past few days. The trend will be confirmed in the next few days. Pandemic monitors have warned that if the increase is accelerating then the consequences in terms of public health as well as national economy is go*ing to be more devastating than last year's as the healthcare infra cannot be stretched any further and the economy has already touched the bottom.

Maharashtra on Friday recorded 6,112 new covid cases, the biggest single-day spike in the last three months. The Government is mulling to slap another lockdown as the situation threatens to go alarming. Pune, Nasik, Nagpur, Wardha, Yavatmal, Amravati, Akola and Buldhana districts have registered a rise of 8% over the week. Mumbai, Amravati and Nagpur have announced partial lockdown.

Akola, Amravati, Yavatmal, Buldana, Wardha and Nagpur are the districts in Vidarbha region that had a steady rise in coronavirus figures, alongwith Mumbai and Pune.

While on Wednesday the new cases in the State were 4,787, on Thursday the figure went up to 5,427 and there were 44 new deaths on Friday against 38 the previous day. Thursday's figures were the highest in 75 days: Total Deaths: 51,669; Active Cases: 40,858

According to health officials a sudden drop in temperature last week in some parts of Maharashtra may have caused the spike in covid cases. The public turning complacent in the wake of the fall in the cases till last week and dropping their guard also must have played a role in the sudden spurt of cases in the State.

In Mumbai, the minicipal corporation, issuing new guidelines, said 300 marshals will be recruited to enforce the covid restrictions like mask wearing. Buildings where there are five or more cases will be sealed. Apart from fines, the violators will face police cases. The wrists of corona infected people in quarantine will be stamped. There will be institutional quarantine for those arriving in Mumbai.

The cases have gone up in the city with the full resumption of local train services. 4618 Mumbai train passengerds fined mask.

Mumbai on Friday recorded 823 new cases while it was 736 the previous day, a 78-day high. On Thursday the total had gone up to 3,16,482 and new deaths stood at 4, the total deaths going up to 11,430.

Pune recorded 1005 new cases on friday, Nagpur 752 and Amravati 755 cases. The cases in Thane have gone up. There a doctor and a health worker tested positive after the first dose of vaccination.

In other developments, NCP leader Eknath Khadse and Maharashtra Minister Bacchu Kadu on Friday contracted coronavirus infection for a second time.

Maharashtra Water Resources Minister and State NCP chief Jayant Patil on Thursday said he has tested positive for coronavirus. Earlier this month, State Ministers Anil Deshmukh, Satej Patil and Rajendra Shingne also had tested positive for coronavirus.

NCP leader Eknath Khadse, Maharashtra Ministers Bacchu Kadu and Jayant Patil, State NCP chief, on Friday contracted coronavirus.