Expressing concern over the rise in Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra, state Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said the use of face masks will have to be made mandatory if the spike continues.

Maharashtra on Wednesday recorded 1,081 cases of the infection, the highest daily rise after February 24, which took the overall tally to 78,88,167, while the death toll is 1,47,860. On Tuesday, the state had reported 711 cases.