At present, the PMC is keeping slum dwellers with COVID-19 symptoms in quarantine facility till their test reports are clear.
The central government team on Thursday asked the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to increase its isolation facilities for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
The central team visited the PMC to assess pandemic situation and measures being taken by the civic body to contain it. “The team has predicted that the trend of doubling of new cases every week in the city will continue in the next few weeks. They have suggested to increase the treatment and quarantine facility,” said Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad.
He said the PMC has so far set up quarantine facility for 1,700 persons and was managing efficiently. “We have to create more quarantine centres to accommodate people. There is a plan for creating a facility up to 16,000 people at a time but the Union government team has suggested for a quarantine facility to keep 46,000 people at a time,” Gaikwad said.
The team further instructed that slum residents who are suspected patients should not be discharged from quarantine facility even after testing negative.
At present, the PMC is keeping slum dwellers with COVID-19 symptoms in quarantine facility till their test reports are clear.
Gaikwad said the team also asked for procuring sufficient number of personalised protective equipment (PPE) kits for those working to contain the pandemic. “The PMC has sufficient PPE kits as of now. We are procuring more,” he added.