Worst-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic with 19,260-plus deaths till date, the highest in India, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is likely to get the lion's share of the COVID-19 vaccination doses with over 7,000 slated to be administered the life-saver jab, health officials said on 12 January.

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For the much-anticipated vaccination drives in Mumbai Circle, Mumbai city has got 72 centres, besides Thane (42), Palghar (8) and Raigad (7) in the MMR, the Health Minister announced. At each vaccination centre, around 100 people shall be administered the life-saving vaccine as per the priority groups identified by the Centre and state health authorities, with the possibility of around 7,200 getting the doses in the country's commercial capital.

Apart from MMR, Pune Circle - the second worst-hit with 11,400-plus fatalities - Pune has got 55 centres, 19 in Solapur and 16 in Satara. The next is Nashik Circle with 4,993 deaths till date, Nashik has been given 23 centres, 21 in Ahmednagar, 13 in Jalgaon, 7 each in Dhule and Nandurbar. Nagpur Circle with 4,481 fatalities has been allotted 22 centres, 11 each in Wardha and Chandrapur, 7 in Gadchiroli, 6 in Gondia and 5 in Bhandara. The Kolhapur Circle with 3,977 deaths till date has got 20 centres, 17 in Sangli, 9 in Ratnagiri and 6 in Sindhudurg. The Latur Circle with 2,434 fatalities has been allotted 11 centres, 9 each in Beed and Nanded, and 5 in Osmanabad. Aurangabad Circle with 1,957 deaths has been given 18 in Aurangabad, 8 in Jalna, 5 in Parbhani and 4 in Hingoli. Akola Circle, with the lowest fatalities of 1,526 till now, has been allotted 10 centres in Buldhana, 9 each in Amravati and Yavatmal, 5 each in Akola and Washim.

The 511 centres are conveniently located at health institutions, 69 medical colleges, civic or state hospitals including 199 rural hospitals, sub-district hospitals, primary health centres, 23 private hospitals, 22 district hospitals, 22 civil PHCs, 8 general and 7 municipal hospitals and 4 women's hospitals in the state, he said.