Pune: Doctors say surge has begun as more critical patients come in, to peak in September

At the non-Covid building on the same premises, each visitor is thoroughly checked while some wearing masks patiently await their turn at the out-patient department (OPD) seeking treatment for other ailments.

Pune coronavirus cases, Pune covid cases, Pune covid hospitals, pune news, city news, Indian Express

Apart from Sassoon General Hospital, a government facility, two other private hospitals, engaged in Covid-19 treatment since April, are Bharati and Symbiosis hospitals. (File Photo)

AN EERIE silence pervades the city’s largest private Covid facility, Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital. An ambulance stands outside the main gate, waiting to admit a suspected case while health workers assist the driver of another ambulance to take out a stretcher and send the patient to the fever ward, at the building dedicated to Covid-19 patients.

At the non-Covid building on the same premises, each visitor is thoroughly checked while some wearing masks patiently await their turn at the out-patient department (OPD) seeking treatment for other ailments.

At 2,275, Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital is the largest private medical facility in the city to have treated maximum patients in the last three months from April 15 to July 15. Apart from Sassoon General Hospital, a government facility, two other private hospitals, engaged in Covid-19 treatment since April, are Bharati and Symbiosis hospitals. At Bharati hospital, 1,100 Covid-19 patients have received treatment, while Symbiosis has treated around 1,500 patients.

As Pune inches towards the 50,000-mark in total Covid-19 cases, despite the strain, medical teams are holding forth. Dr Dhananjay Kelkar, medical director at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, told The Indian Express on Friday that high-flow oxygen therapy was going to save lives.

Dr Kelkar added that the 800-bed hospital had set aside 400 beds with 40 in the intensive care unit (ICU) to treat Covid-19 patients. Critical care experts strongly feel that non-invasive oxygen therapy is effective. “Oxygen saturation levels on presentation are the difference between life and death,” Dr Kelkar said.

Dr Sanjay Lalwani, medical director at Bharati hospital, said the surge had just begun and would peak around September. He added that the hospital had 250 beds, and wards had been categorised as Covid wards with co-morbidities, Covid ward with oxygen beds, Covid ICU ward and so on. “At least 400 patients have been treated at the ICU and 160 ventilated. While some 80 patients succumbed to the infection, 35 to 40, who were ventilated, could be saved,” Dr Lalwani said, adding, “at least 75 staff members at Bharati hospital have been infected, and it has been a challenge to manage patients. In the last week, we have seen more critical patients.”

Dr Vijay Natarajan, CEO of Symbiosis hospital, said they had 500 beds, including 60 with oxygen supply and 30 ICU beds. “Initially, patients coming in between April and May had mild symptoms and, hence, there were plenty of isolation beds. But with cases turning severe, we definitely need continuous supply of oxygen cylinders,” Dr Natarajan said.

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Home isolation picking up

Dr Kelkar said 1,700 patients had recovered and returned home and another 1,200 patients were under medical observation but had opted for home isolation. Dr Lalwani said at Bharati hospital, they had started counselling patients in the last eight days and 250 patients with mild symptoms had opted to stay at home.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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