Students in Pune get vaccinated against Covid-19. (Express Photo by Arul Horizon)
While there has been a definite reduction in new Covid-19 infections, Pune, however, accounts for 24.81 per cent of the cases in Maharashtra. Nagpur accounts for 8.12 per cent while Mumbai accounts for 7.30 per cent of the infections in the state.
Across the state, there has been over 60 per cent reduction in new infections in the week (February 9-15) as against the previous week. In this week, there were 31,503 cases while in the week Feb 2-8, there were 80,762 infections.
In Pune district, around 7,816 new infections were detected in the week Feb 9-15 as against 22,719 cases in the week February 2 -8. This shows a more than 65 per cent reduction in new infections. Nagpur reported 2,810 new infections between Feb 9-15 as against the previous week where 10,095 cases were detected.
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Ahmednagar and Buldhana too reported a decline in new infections according to the state health department report that was presented at the cabinet meeting on February 16.
Pune’s Covid-19 weekly positivity rate is now less than 10 per cent while there are three districts which has a weekly positivity rate between 15 to 18 per cent. These include Buldhana, Gadchiroli and Amravati. The state’s weekly positivity rate is 3.99 per cent and there are at least 13 districts whose average is less than that of Maharashtra including Mumbai and Thane. In Pune, the Covid weekly positivity rate is 7.99 per cent while districts of Nashik, Satara, Kolhapur Sangli and Sindhudurg are between 4 and 6 per cent, respectively.
57 per cent of the beneficiaries in 15-18 age group get first dose of Covid 19 vaccine
In Maharashtra, at least 56.92 per cent of the beneficiaries in the age group of 15-18 have taken the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. Pune has been able to administer the first dose to 58.84 per cent of beneficiaries in this age group. There are, however, 15 districts including Mumbai, Thane, Solapur, Nashik, Amravati and others where less than 50 per cent of the beneficiaries have been given the first shot, according to the state health department report. Meanwhile, only 26.93 per cent of the beneficiaries in this age group have got both shots of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Anuradha Mascarenhas is a journalist with The Indian Express and is based in Pune. A senior editor, Anuradha writes on health, research developments in the field of science and environment and takes keen interest in covering women's issues. With a career spanning over 25 years, Anuradha has also led teams and often coordinated the edition.
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