What we know about the new Covid-19 mutations in Maharashtra, and how you can stay safe Whether or not the new variants are responsible for the rise in cases in the state, experts agree that people need to take safety measures seriously again. Feb 24, 2021 · 06:30 am A check up campaign for the coronavirus disease in a slum in Mumbai on August 16. | Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters Maharashtra has seen a surge of Covid-19 cases in the past week, with 5,210 new cases reported on Monday. This comes at a time when two new variants of the virus have been found in samples in the state’s Vidarbha region.