Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is claiming to have successfully managed to reduce the positivity rate of Covid-19 cases in the city. However, statistics and analysis of daily tests conducted, areas of tests conducted to check coronavirus spread in the city and the reported daily count of the coronavirus infections is quite contradictory. It has been revealed that the PMC has reduced daily Covid tests by more than 1000 and hence the reported case count of coronavirus in Pune city has shown decline in recent weeks.
The positivity rate of Covid-19 is still as high as 27 per cent in the city if the reduced daily test count is considered. As per statistics, in the last 30 days the positivity rate is around 29 per cent. This means if 100 persons are tested for Covid-19, 29 of them would be diagnosed as positive for the infection. However, the number of daily tests conducted by PMC in the city since a fortnight has decreased at least by an average of 1000 per day. For this, the daily testing hours have been reduced by keeping the swab collection centre closed for one day every week.
More tests = More burden on hospitals
So far, the highest number of Covid tests conducted in a single day is about 8500. This increased the burden on the public and private healthcare services in the city. Hence the the number of tests has been reduced to an average of 6500 to 7000 tests in a single day.
Deputy Chief Minister of the state and Pune District Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar has also openly expressed his displeasure at the review meeting as the local administration officials have failed to bring the Covid-19 situation under control in Pune city. He had publicly warned to transfer the officials if they do not perform. However, the officials preferred to test less in order to bring down the cases of coronavirus in Pune city.
Even though the PMC claims are to be believed, a positivity rate of 24 per cent is way too high for a city like Pune. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Dr Abhijit More told media persons that the positivity ratio in the city should be brought down below 10 per cent, ideally around 6 to 7 per cent.
Areas of testing are important
The areas where the maximum number of tests are being conducted has also become important now. The scenario of infection spread in the city has changed considerably. In the earlier stages, the infections were largely detected in densely populated central and peth areas of the city. After the unlocking phases were implemented, the infection spread increased in the suburbs especially in big townships and societies.
Reacting to allegations, Dr. Sanjeev Wavare, Assistant Health Chief of PMC told media persons, “According to ICMR guidelines, we are testing citizens who have severe or mild symptoms of Covid-19. Asymptomatic citizens are not being tested, but those who have come in close contact of identified patients are being tested.”