Cases in Pune district might cross 1.60 lakh by month-end:Govt

However, the number of active cases are expected to come down by August 24. Addressing a press conference, Divisional Commissioner Saurabh Rao said the positivity ratio and the case fatality rate are stable in the district as of now.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Pune district might cross 1.60 lakh at the end of this month as per the projection of the Maharashtra health department, a senior official said here on Tuesday. However, the number of active cases are expected to come down by August 24.

Addressing a press conference, Divisional Commissioner Saurabh Rao said the positivity ratio and the case fatality rate are stable in the district as of now. "As per the projection of the state health department, there will be over 1.60 lakh cases in Pune district by theend of August. Of these cases, around 62,000 cases will be active," said Rao.

As on August 11, the tally of COVID-19 cases stood over 1.10lakh in the district while 82,000 of patients have been either discharged or recovered, as per the official data. Rao said the current case positivity rate in Pune district stands at 21 per cent, which has been stable since the last few days.

"The recovery rate is also improving in the district. It currently stands at 74.88per cent while the fatality rate is 2.30 per cent," he added.

While the doubling rate of cases in areas under Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is 35 days, it stands at 22 days in areas under the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). The same is 19.5 days in rural areas, he said. The divisional commissioner said the first jumbo COVID-19 facility to be set up at the College of Engineering Pune (COEP) will be ready by August 20.

He said the second such facility will be coming up in Pimpri Chinchwad area. "Jumbo facilities will ease burden of the existing healthcare facilities such as private hospitals," he said.

Replying to a query, Rao said teams of auditors have been formed to verify bills issued to patients by private hospitals. "A total of 83 notices have been served to private hospitals on complaints of over-charging," Rao said.

He said a sero survey will be conducted by state-run Sassoon hospital, D Y Patil Medical College and the National Institute of Virology (NIV). Rao said the findings of a sero survey conducted by the city-based Indian Institute of Science Education and Research will be available by August 16.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)