Mumbai, March 25: Maharashtra on Friday reported 275 new coronavirus infections and two pandemic-related deaths, taking the caseload to 78,73,231 and death toll to 1,47,779.

On Thursday, the state had logged 139 new cases and three deaths. Though only two fresh fatalities were reported during the day, the cumulative death toll in the state increased to 1,47,779 from 1,43,772 due to reconciliation of data, the state health department said. Filippo Osella, UK Anthropologist says, 'Utterly Shocked and Saddened by Deportation Order'.

The reconciliation exercise was carried out following the Supreme Court's directive about giving compensation of Rs 50,000 to the families of those who died due to COVID-19 as well as those who had contracted infection but died due to some other ailment, it said.

"We have merged Covid deaths and deaths of Covid positive patients who died due to other causes in the total death tally instead of segregating it," the official release said. As many as 16 districts and 13 municipal corporations in Maharashtra did not report fresh cases.

The coastal Palghar district, on the other hand, reported the highest 133 new COVID-19 cases. With 346 patients recovering, the total of recovered cases increased to 77,24,560. There are only 892 active patients in the state now. Coronavirus case fatality rate is 1.87 per cent while the recovery rate is 98.11 per cent.

With 42,217 new coronavirus tests conducted since previous evening, tally of samples tested so far in Maharashtra rose to 7,91,56,002. Positivity rate jumped to 0.006 per cent from 0.003 per cent a day before.

The Mumbai circle, which includes Mumbai city and most parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, recorded 183 new cases, followed by Pune circle (40), Nashik circle (24), Akola circle (9), Nagpur circle (6), Kolhapur circle (5), Latur circle (4) and Aurangabad circle (4). Only Nashik and Pune circles reported a death each.

Coronavirus figures of Maharashtra: Positive cases 78,73,231; fresh cases 275; death toll 1,47,779; recoveries 77,24,560; active cases 892, total tests 7,91,56,002.