The number of new COVID-19 cases and deaths continued to rise in Pune and Aurangabad districts on Thursday. While Pune reported three fatalities, taking its death toll to 178, Aurangabad recorded one death, pushing its toll to 20.
Two deaths in Solapur
Solapur district in Pune division reported two deaths, bringing its total to 21. Health officials in Amravati said a 45-year-old doctor, who was undergoing treatment for COVID-19 since April 30, succumbed to the virus, taking the district’s death toll to 14.
On Thursday, 140 new cases were reported in Pune district, pushing its tally to 3,352. A surge of 59 new cases were recorded in Aurangabad, taking its tally to 747.
The rise in cases has been offset with an increase in recoveries. Authorities said 1,697 people in Pune division, which includes 1,533 people in Pune district, have been discharged so far.
Pune District Health Officer Bhagwan Pawar said, “As many as 52 new cases were reported from Wednesday evening till Thursday morning. A further 68 cases have been reported since then.”
Dr. Pawar said till Wednesday evening, samples of 26,769 people were tested in Pune district and 22,521 samples returned negative. As many as 2,554 people have been placed in quarantine in the district.
Toll rises in Pune division
In Pune division — which includes Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur and Solapur districts apart from Pune — the death toll has risen to 203. Solapur has reported 21 deaths, Satara two, and Kolhapur and Sangli one each.
Pune Divisional Commissioner Dr. Deepak Mhaisekar said the tally in Pune division stood at 3,849. Of them, 1,949 are active cases, including 127 critical ones. In Pune, of the 1,641 active cases, 116 are critical.
Dr. Mhaisekar said, “In Pune division, Solapur district has recorded 308 cases, of which 200 are active. Satara recorded 124 cases, including 83 active ones. Sangli and Kolhapur districts have reported 41 and 24 cases respectively. Sangli has only 11 active cases, while Kolhapur has 14.”