Coronavirus Pune: Doubling rate increases to 13 days

Pune: Pune Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad on Thursday said that the doubling rate of the COVID-19 pandemic in the city has increased to 13 days which has helped the administration to plan better to fight against the pandemic. He was addressing media on Thursday evening, along with divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar and Pune police commissioner K Venkatesham. 

Gaikwad said, “As the doubling rate in the city has now turned to 13 days, it will help us buy time. We can provide some relaxation to doctors and nurses. We are ready with facilities to fight the pandemic, and we will not face any shortage,”

ESSENTIAL KITS
Speaking on the distribution of essential kits in containment zone Gaikwad said that about 25,000 have already been distributed and the remaining 45,000 will be distributed soon. “The initiative to reach to the public to collect their swabs for testing of COVID-19 has also reaped benefits as now we are collecting more than 1,000 swabs per day,” said Gaikwad.

WAITING FOR ORDERS FROM GOVT
Divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar said that the administration will wait for orders from the state government before taking any steps for relaxation in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad area. “We are aware that in containment zones, we cannot give any relaxation. The orders from the government are expected on May 17, and we will take a call on relaxations following orders from the government,” added Mhaisekar.

The divisional commissioner said that the administration is in the process of sending recommendations to the government for steps to be taken during lockdown 4.0, which is expected to start from May 18. “Currently we cannot reveal the details of the recommendations which we are planning to send to the government,” said Mhaisekar.

LONG MARCH
Speaking on the issue of migrant workers foot marching to their respective home towns through highways, Mhaisekar said that the administration is trying to send state transport buses so that the workers are been able to reach to borders of the state.