COVID-19: Three more deaths in Pune, toll at five, total positive cases jump to 104

Dr Ajay Chandanwale, dean of B J Medical College and Sassoon Hospital, said a 52-year-old man from Kasewadi in Bhawani Peth was admitted on April 3 with severe symptoms of breathlessness. His swab tested positive for COVID-19 the next day and he succumbed to the infection late on Saturday night.

Another case is of a 60-year-old woman from Laxminagar in Yerawada, who had tested negative for COVID-19 four days ago at Naidu Hospital and was subsequently discharged. However, she came in with a serious condition to Sassoon General Hospital, where, authorities said, she was brought dead to the hospital. Ram said her swab has tested positive for COVID-19, adding that these patients came with critical conditions and could not be saved.

According to district health authorities, another 69-year-old woman from Gultekdi had undergone a gall bladder operation at Adventist hospital in Pune on March 31. Since she had symptoms of breathlessness, her swab was sent for tests. Next day, she tested positive for the infection. The patient was shifted to Naidu Hospital, from where she was later sent to Aundh district hospital, where authorities said she passed away on Sunday morning. They added that state health authorities are yet to decide if it has to be counted as COVID-19 death.

So far, 104 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Pune district, including five deaths. “We will investigate whether COVID-19 was the cause of the death of the 69-year-old woman,” Ram said. Of the 104 cases, 84 are from Pune Municipal Corporation areas while 20 are from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation areas.

Of the 84 cases in the city, eight are from rural areas. Presently, 53 patients are admitted to various hospitals in the city, including 39 at Naidu Hospital, three at Jehangir hospital, two each at Noble and KEM hospital and one each at Bharati, Deenanath Mangeshkar, Pune Adventist, Sahyadri Specialty Hospital at Karve Road and Sahyadri Specialty Hospital at Nagar Road, Poona hospital and Aundh district hospital.

‘Stigma preventing people from getting tested’

Dr R R Gangakhedkar, head of the epidemiology and communicable diseases division at Indian Council of Medical Research told The Indian Express, “People feel that if their swab tests positive for COVID-19, they will be isolated for 14 days at the hospital and no one will come to meet them. The level of stigma is so high that those who are positive fear no one will interact with their family members.” He also ruled out community transmission, saying the public health approach to the present pandemic is social distancing.

3 deaths in a day, Pune mayor appeals to people to be extra careful

With three COVID-19 related deaths in a day in the city, Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol on Sunday appealed to residents to be extra cautious in the wake of rise in the number of infected cases.

“There were three coronovirus-related deaths in the city in a day. All of them had serious ailment and were also positive for COVID-19. However, this is an alarm bell to the citizens to be extra careful,” he said.

Stressing that the number of those being treated successfully was also increasing, the mayor said, “Five more persons were discharged as they have recovered from the infection.”

He asked residents to strictly follow the government’s lockdown guidelines.