Pune’s weekly positivity rate twice of state, but experts say don’t worry

🔴 In the third week (January 13-19), there were 71,537 Covid-19 infections in the Pune district, while there was a 25 per cent rise in infections during January 20-26 when 89,585 Covid cases were reported from the district.

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The district registered its peak of third wave on January 24 when 93,642 active patients were in its jurisdiction with almost half of them from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) area. (File)

THE NUMBER of Covid-19 cases in Pune may decline in the next seven to 10 days, state health authorities said. While the state on Thursday reported a weekly positivity rate of 42 per cent in Pune district, experts said there is no reason to panic.

Dr Pradeep Vyas, State Additional Chief Secretary (Health), Maharashtra, told The Indian Express that the cases started much later in Pune, Nagpur and other districts. “It is expected that cases will plateau in the next 7-10 days,” Dr Vyas said.

According to the state health department report, which was presented in the cabinet meeting on Thursday, Maharashtra’s weekly positivity rate (WPR) is at 24 per cent. Nagpur (45 per cent), Pune (42 per cent), Nashik (41 per cent) are among the top three districts with a WPR twice that of the state. Mumbai (9 per cent) and Thane (16 per cent) are among the 13 districts whose WPR is less than the state average.

In the third week (January 13-19), there were 71,537 Covid-19 infections in the Pune district, while there was a 25 per cent rise in infections during January 20-26 when 89,585 Covid cases were reported from the district. The district registered its peak of third wave on January 24 when 93,642 active patients were in its jurisdiction with almost half of them from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) area.

On Wednesday, 12,371 patients were cured of disease while 11,358 new cases were detected on Thursday while seven succumbed to the infection. Thus, the active cases reduced from 92,973 on Wednesday to 91,953 on Thursday.

However, in Pune city, doctors at Deenanath Mangeshkar hospital — one of the largest hospitals treating Covid patients — said that they have noted a decline in new cases. Dr Dhananjay Kelkar, Medical Director at the hospital said that they had already passed the Covid-19 third wave peak in the city. “There is already a decline of cases on a daily basis and by next week, our numbers should drop to 1,000,” he said.

Meanwhile, for the third consecutive day, the active Covid-19 caseload continued to reduce in Pune district despite the high daily positivity rate.

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Mayor Murlidhar Mohol has tested positive for the infection and has gone into home isolation. “I have tested positive for Covid. All those who came in my contact should take care and get tested,” Mohol said.

Over 4,000 new cases were registered in the PMC area on Thursday. The active cases have dropped down to 41,173 after 7,410 patients were cured of the infection. Also, five patients succumbed to the infection in the day taking the overall tally to 9,214, so far.

Weather conditions, however, may have an impact as Pune has a cooler climate. “The fall in Covid-19 infections may not be as steep as Mumbai and we may continue to see cases specially with schools reopening,” Dr Amit Dravid, an infectious diseases specialist said.

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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