57 fresh Covid-19 cases, including two Pune policemen, across PMR

Nisha Nambiar | TNN | Updated: Apr 22, 2020, 07:42 IST

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PUNE: A 51-year-old patient from the city succumbed to Covid-19-linked complications on Tuesday. The death takes the toll in the Pune Metropolitan Region, which includes the Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporation, to 53.
The woman was admitted to the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital on April 19. According to a senior health official, she died after developing acute hypoxemic respiratory failure.
Tuesday also saw the second death within Pimpri Chinchwad corporation limits. The woman patient, a 62-year-old resident of Nigdi, had underlying conditions including diabetes, blood pressure and kidney problems, officials said. The area around her residence has been sealed by PCMC authorities.
Besides the two deaths, there were 57 fresh Covid-19 cases across the PMR. The list includes two constables who are attached to a central police station in Pune city. The number of policemen in the city who have contracted Covid-19 now stands at three. Officials believe the duo came in contact with a colleague who had tested positive on April 18.
Both policemen are currently undergoing treatment at a facility in the city.
"One of them was part of a night patrol team while the other was a chowky in-charge. As a precautionary measure, two other police personnel have been advised home quarantine,” police commissioner K Venkatesham told TOI.
The commissioner added that a team of senior officers, headed by deputy police commissioner (headquarters), is taking due care of the constables and their family members. The constable who tested positive on April 18 had come in contact with his five-six colleagues at the police station, following which a medical team had collected their swab samples. Two of them tested positive.
The 57 new cases in PMR on Tuesday brings the region's total number of infections to 813 - which includes 704 cases within PMC limits and 58 under the PCMC's. Some 37 patients are currently undergoing treatment in civic hospitals within PCMC limits; 18 patients have been discharged. One patient who tested positive on Tuesday within PCMC limits is a resident of Wadgaonsheri.
Senior health officials said PMC areas still have the highest number of Covid-19 infections — a concern, which if remains, can influence decisions by senior government officials who are set to review restrictions such as containment lockdowns later this week.
The technical advisor to the state government on infectious diseases, Dr Subhash Salunke, said efforts are being made to ease the burden of primary treatment centres such as Sassoon hospital in the city.
"Officials from private hospitals have been asked to take on the responsibility of some patients. They have been told not to push patients towards Sassoon hospital at the last minute," Salunke said.
The top official said Sassoon staff may also be rotated to prevent the spread of infection among frontline healthcare workers and doctors. Infection among healthcare workers could blunt the local administration’s efforts towards timely detection and treatment.
Experts have warned that overburdened hospitals and infected healthcare workers could put the entire treatment apparatus in jeopardy.
The number of cases in Pune division, meanwhile, has touched 890 - a total of 115 persons have fully recovered and have been discharged from care. Pune divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar said active cases in the division were at 717 with 58 deaths.
He said 20 patients, who are critical are being monitored round-the-clock.