Pimpri-Chinchwad: Covid positivity rate up from 8% to 40% in one month

In February, the positivity rate reached a low of 5 to 8 per cent. As cases started rising from the third week of February, however, the positivity rate also increased.

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A woman is taking the vaccine shot in Pune. (Express Photo)

In the last one week, the daily Covid-19 positivity rate has gone up to over 40 per cent, which is the highest since cases started surfacing in Pimpri-Chinchwad from March last year.

In February, the positivity rate reached a low of 5 to 8 per cent. As cases started rising from the third week of February, however, the positivity rate also increased. “By mid-March, it was hovering around 16 to 20 per cent. However, since last one week, it has shot up to 43 per cent, which is the highest during the corona period in the last one year,” said Dr Pavan Salve, additional health chief of the PCMC.

At present, 4,000 tests are being conducted daily. “This figure continues to change. On Saturdays and Sundays, there are fewer tests as many private labs are shut. We expect more and more tests will be conducted in the coming days,” Dr Salve said.

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The health department has finally decided to start the 800-bed jumbo hospital in Nehrunagar area on Monday. The PCMC will initially start with 200 beds and increase the capacity as patient admissions increase.

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On Friday, however, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said the PCMC should straightaway start the jumbo hospital with full-fledged capacity. The jumbo hospital was closed in January after cases went down from November. During the three to four months of the facility being operational, it treated 2,800 patients. The hospital is a joint initiative of PCMC, PMRDA and the district collectorate. It is managed by a private contractor, which provides the medical staff. The civic body provides around 800 staffers for the hospital.

In another decision, the civic health department has decided to purchase 5,000 remdesivir injections (100 mg) worth Rs 33 lakh for its hospitals. The injections will be given free of cost to patients admitted to civic hospitals.

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