Mumbai, Mar 8 (IANS): Spelling huge relief, Maharashtra on Monday, for the second time in 5 days, notched zero Covid-19 deaths and also no new Omicron cases, officials said.

On March 2, the state recorded nil fatalities - for the first time after April 1, 2020.

The state also recorded nil Omicron cases on Monday, and only 225 new Covid-19 infections - compared with 544 new cases on March 2 (five days ago) along with 38 Omicron infectees.

Till date, the state has recorded a staggering 78,69,038 cumulative cases and 143,740 deaths, besides 5,726 Omicron variant infections - all highest in the country.

With a total of 77,17,823 persons fully cured, the state recorded a recovery rate of 98.08 per cent and a death rate of 1.82 per cent.

Currently, the state has 3,472 active cases while 28,975 people are in home isolation and 589 in institutional quarantine.

Encouraged by the waning 'third wave', the state government has practically opened up 14 of the state's 36 districts and more easing of restrictions are expected in the coming weeks.

Civic and local bodies are either dismantling or shutting down many dedicated Covid-19 infrastructure like hospitals, jumbo field hospitals, ICUs, oxygen beds in existing health centres, etc, as the occupancy rates have fallen drastically all over Maharashtra.

However, the state government has urged people to exercise caution and continue to adhere to all Covid appropriate behaviour till further orders.