At least 18 deaths were recorded at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar within 24 hours ending at 8 am on Tuesday, an official told news agency PTI.

This comes against the backdrop of 24 deaths at the Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in Nanded, also in Marathwada, in 24 hours between September 30 and October 1 and seven more fatalities between October 1 and 2, taking the tally to 31 in 48 hours, according to officials, reported PTI.