Seeking more Covid tests, faster results, Pune civic body to tie up with private labs

He added, “The PMC has decided to sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with private laboratories for testing atleast 500 samples referred by the civic administration. We have decided to do it at least for a month now so as to find the maximum number of positive patients in a day.”

Gaikwad said the aim was to deliver all Covid-19 test reports within 24 hours. “The early detection will help in reducing the death rate, which has already dropped to 3.99 and become less than that of the state…,” he said.

After ‘unlocking’ of the strict lockdown, the number of Covid-19 cases reported outside containment zones is increasing, said Gaikwad. “The PMC was revising its containment zones every 15 days, but the unlocking is fast changing the situation, with the number of patients increasing more rapidly from outside containment zones… earlier, about 20 per cent cases were reported from outside containment zones, which has now increased to 40 per cent. That’s why there will be a change in strategy and the containment zones will be revised every week,” he said.

The civic chief also said the PMC’s largest Covid care centre, at the Balewadi sports complex, will become functional from Tuesday.