Of these 426, the highest number of cases, 235, havebeen detected in Indore, the commercial capital of the state.
As many as 22 of the new cases were reported in Indoredistrict alone, the officials said.
Four new cases were reported in Bhopal in the last24hours, which took the tally of COVID-19 patients in thestate capital to 98, they said.
Two patients, incluing a doctor, died in Indore due tothe coronavirus infection on Thursday, while one personsuccumbed in Dewas, taking the toll to 33, they said.
The death of the 62-year-old doctor in Indore was thefirst case of a medical practitioner succumbing to the diseasein the state.
The death toll in the state now stands at 33, 23 ofthem in Indore. Five others died in Ujjain, two in Khargoneone each in Bhopal, Chhindwara and Dewas, said the officials.
With cases of infection being reported from three newdistricts - Dewas, Dhar and Shajapur - on Thursday, thepandemic has covered 20 districts of the state so far.
Apart from Indore and Bhopal, Morena district has sofar recorded 13 cases, Jabalpur nine, Ujjain 15, Khargone 12,Barwani 12, Gwalior 06, Hoshangabad 06, Khandwa 05, Dewas 03,Chhindwara, Vidisha and Shivpuri two each and Dhar, Betul,Sheopur, Shajapur, Raisen and Khandwa recording one case each.
One patient in Madhya Pradesh hails from anotherstate.
So far, 25 persons have been discharged from hospitalsafter their recovery from COVID-19, the officials said.
Among the active cases, the condition of 344 patientswas stable, while nine were said to be in a serious condition,they said.
In the past one week, two IAS officers posted in thestate's health department and one IPS have tested positive forcoronavirus.
Besides, about 50 health workers, including doctors,12 police personnel and their family members, have testedpositive for the infection in Bhopal.
Meanwhile, the authorities on Wednesday sealedIndore, Bhopal and Ujjain districts to control the spread ofcoronavirus, the officials said. MAS HWP ADU LALRSY RSY