Pune: The district administration has claimed that the positivity rate of Covid-19 in the city has come down to 24 per cent. This is a welcome relief, as the positivity rate of coronavirus in Pune city had reached a high of 32 per cent. The spike in positivity rate was seen after the Ganeshotsav. Adjoining areas like Pimpri-Chinchwad city has a positivity rate of 15 per cent only.
Meanwhile, the district administration officials also claimed that 560 beds in new building of Sassoon hospital will be available in three days. Divisional Commissioner Saurabh Rao said that all the pending work will be completed by October 2 in this facility. Covid-19 patients will be admitted in the new building from October 3. He also clarified that efforts are being taken to make the jumbo hospital facility at COEP in Shivajinagar fully functional.
Assurance to perform better
The administration has assured that this positivity rate will further come down in coming weeks. Officials claimed necessary precautions have been taken. The administration officials blamed citizens who stepped out and came on roads during Ganeshotsav festival in the city.
Divisional Commissioner Saurabh Rao said, “The daily count of fresh Covid-19 cases in the city had gone up to a high of 1900 patients per day. This was reflected till September 17 that is two weeks after the Ganeshotsav ended on September 2. Thereafter the cases of coronavirus in Pune city came down to 1700 patients per day. Now the daily cases reported in the city are anywhere around 1500 patients per day.”
Pune Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar claimed that the number of Covid-19 tests conducted daily has no correlation with the daily cases reported in the city.
High caseload in rural areas
District Collector Rajesh Deshmukh commented on the high caseload in rural areas. He said, “We have intensified the home survey initiative under the ‘My Family My Responsibility’ drive. We are trying to trace more number of people with high risk of Covid-19 infection. Various precautionary and preventive measures are being undertaken in containment zones. Adequate number of oxygen beds and workforce has been allotted for Covid-19 dedicated hospitals.”