Headquartered in one of the most affected areas, PMC to disinfect entire office

A civic staff member working in the health department in the main building had tested positive for the virus. The civic administration said the employee had been home for the last few days, and members of his family have tested negative, but have been kept in quarantine as suspect patients.

However, the PMC main building is situated in the Shivajinagar Ghole Road ward office, which has seen the largest spike in infected patients in the last week. The number of patients has increased from 39 to 133 in the duration.

Meanwhile, the PMC claimed it has been able to reduce the death rate by screening residents of hotspot zones in slums. “The screening of citizens in slums falling under hotspot zones has helped trace patients at an early stage. This has enabled fast treatment of patients, and reduced the number of deaths,” said municipal commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad.

“The increase in testing facilities will reduce the death rate – which was 14.5 per cent and has come down to 7.5 per cent. It means there are seven deaths per 100 patients now,” Gaikwad said. He added that early detection in the first stage stage of the infection has helped provide treatment and reduce deaths.

The municipal commissioner said contact tracing of patients in densely populated areas has been increased. Suspected patients are being taken in ambulances to testing centres and are being kept in quarantine facilities for 24 hours, till swab test reports become available.

All those who test negative are sent back home, while those who test positive are kept in isolation for 14 days, Gaikwad said. He added that the PMC has kept 1,750 person in isolation.