JALNA: Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Sunday said the COVID-19 recovery rate in the state has improved and the fatality rate dropped due to changing protocol in treatment.
He said the state reported nearly 14,000 fresh cases on Saturday, while over 19,000 patients recovered from the disease.
"This shows that the recovery rate has improved, he told reporters at Partur in the district.
"It has improved due to the changing protocol in treatment and medicines, he said.
The fatality rate of COVID-19 patients has also declined due to these factors, Tope added.
"But we want the fatality rate to come down to less than one per cent, the minister said.
Maharashtra recorded 13,702 fresh COVID-19 cases on Sunday, which pushed the state's infection tally to 14,43,409, the health department said.
The death toll in the state rose to 38,084 with 326 more fatalities, it said.
On Mumbai being a COVID hotspot, he said maintaining social distancing is difficult in the city as it is overcrowded.
"Now the frequency of local trains in Mumbai has increased and restaurants are opening.
It is difficult to follow social distancing as the city is overcrowded.
But people have to follow the norms and protect themselves from the virus as health is precious, he said.
'However, the government would leave no stone unturned in providing health care facilities to patients in Mumbai, Tope said.
On the recent floods in parts of Jalna district, the minister said he has toured the affected tehsils and ordered the district administration to carry out a damage assessment.