MUMBAI: Maharashtra on Saturday reported 166 coronavirus-related deaths, highest this year, besides 35,726 new cases of infection, a health official said.
State capital Mumbai reported 6,130 new COVID-19 cases, highest single-day rise in the city since the pandemic began.
The daily death figure in the state is also the highest since October 23 when 184 fatalities had been recorded.
The death toll in the state on Saturday rose to 54,073.
With 35,726 new cases, second-highest daily rise, case tally reached 26,73,461.
Maharashtra had reported 36,902 infections on Friday.
As many as 14,523 patients were discharged, taking the tally of recoveries to 23,14,579.
There are 3,03,475 active cases in the state now.
Mumbai set another record by reporting 6,130 COVID-19 cases, highest so far, taking its caseload to 3,91,791.
Twelve deaths in the state capital took the toll to 11,645.
Neighbouring Thane city reported 939 new cases.
Pune city and neighbouring Pimpri Chinchwad reported 3,522 and 1,687 new cases, respectively.
As many as 1,382 cases were reported in other areas of the Pune district.
Nashik city recorded 2,422 cases taking its caseload to 10,08,050.
In the rest of Nashik district 1,068 new cases came to light.
In the Marathwada region, Aurangabad city reported 1,040 new cases while 702 cases were detected in Nanded city.
Jalna district, which shares border with Aurangabad, reported 524 new cases.
Nagpur city and Nagpur district (barring the city) added 2,675 and 1,066 new cases, respectively.
Of 166 deaths in the state, 101 occurred in last 48 hours, 26 in the last week and rest 39 deaths before that.
As many as 1,57,311 coronavirus tests were carried out, taking the total to 1,91,92,750.
Maharashtra's COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases: 26,73,461, new cases: 35,726, death toll: 54,073, discharged: 23,14,579, active cases: 3,03,475, people tested so far: 1,91,92,750.
The state on Saturday announced a ban on holding of all types of gatherings, including political and religious, a day before new curbs on assembly of more than five persons in night will come into force.
The government also ordered that restaurants, gardens and malls will remain shut between 8 pm to 7 am beginning Saturday night.
People will also not be allowed to visit beaches during 8 pm to 7 am, an official order said.
Drama theatres will also remain shut from Saturday night.
However, the government has exempted delivery of food in night hours in its new set of guidelines.
"Gatherings of more than five people will not be allowed from 8 pm to 7 am effective from midnight on 27th March. Violation will attract penalty of Rs 1,000 per person on offenders."
"All public places including gardens and beaches will remain closed during the same period and violators will be fined with Rs 1,000 per person. Not wearing of face mask will attract Rs 500 fine while the same is Rs 1,000 for public spitting," as per the order.
It said that holding of social, cultural, political and religious gatherings in the state is being banned completely.
Auditoriums or drama theatres should not allow their property to be used for such events, it said.
In view of the rising graph of COVID-19 cases, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had on Friday directed officials to impose section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure under which gathering of five or more persons will be banned in night in the state beginning March 28.
The CM had warned of stricter restrictions if people did not observe COVID-19 safety protocol.
As per the order issued on Saturday, a board will be put up on the door of COVID-19 patients for a period of 14 days that will be counted from the day a patient is in home isolation.
The infected person will be stamped with the home quarantine seal, it said.
If such patient is found violating norms, he/she would be immediately shifted to a COVID Care Centre by local authorities concerned, stated the new rules.
All these orders will remain effective till April 30, the order said.
Earlier, a member of the Maharashtra COVID-19 task force had said that imposition of lockdowns and similar measures have limited success in the fight against the pandemic.