Coronavirus in Maharashtra: 64-year old passes away in Mumbai taking death toll to 3 in India

• The Maharashtra government reported 39 active cases in the state.
  
  
• CM Uddhav Thackeray also announced a special ₹45 crore fund to tackle the pandemic.

A 64-year-old coronavirus patient today (March 17) passed away at Mumbai's Kasturba Hospital, taking the death toll to 3 in India. Overall, three people have died of the disease, one each in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Delhi.

The number of cases in Maharashtra saw a steep rise in the past one week after a family of five dodged testing at the airport. The state government reported 39 active cases, making it the worst-hit state in India.

All upcoming local bodies and civic elections in the state have been postponed by three months, the shutdown of academic institutions in urban centres has been extended to cover all educational institutions even in rural areas.

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray announced a special ₹45 crore fund to tackle the pandemic to be distributed among the Divisional Commissioners at Konkan and Pune, while ₹5 crore each will be disbursed to Nagpur, Amravati, Aurangabad and Nashik.

The money would be utilised to provide various facilities at the quarantine centres including food, television sets, indoor games like carroms, etc. The district authorities have been authorised to make emergency purchases of ventilators or required medical equipment.

Thackeray appealed that those who have been advised home quarantine must voluntarily refrain from stepping out in public to prevent any risk to others.