Analysis of the PMC data shows that the doubling rate of positive patients has increased to 23.88 days. (Representational photo/PTI)

In a rare bit of positive news in the fight against Covid-19, the mortality rate due to the infection in areas under the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has, for the first time, dropped below the mortality rate of Maharashtra.

As on June 18, the mortality rate due to Covid-19 was 4.38 per cent in PMC areas, dropping significantly from 5.52 per cent nearly a month ago. While this is below the state mortality rate of 4.84 per cent, it continues to be higher than the 3.34 per cent mortality rate in the country.

On May 21, when the mortality rate in PMC was 5.52 per cent, it was 3.51 per cent and 3.03 per cent in the state and country, respectively.

As of June 18, the PMC had recorded 487 deaths of the total 11,115 patients registered in the city. As many as 6,906 patients recovered from the infection, making the recovery rate 62.13 per cent of the total cases, which is higher than the 50.68 per cent in the state and 52.94 per cent in the country.

The analysis of the PMC data shows that the doubling rate of positive patients has increased to 23.88 days, and this rate is 26.43 days for only active cases. Of the total 487 deaths till June 17, 416 of the deceased had co-morbid conditions.

“In the last one week, from June 11 to 17, testing in PMC areas has increased and a total of 14,603 tests were conducted, which also helped in identifying more positive patients…,” said a civic officer.

However, the maximum number of 75 deaths in a week due to Covid-19 took place between June 11 and 17, he said.

The ratio of active cases against overall positive cases increased to 32 per cent. After the civic body recently redefined its containment zones, the number of new patients is now higher in containment zones than outside containment zones, as against the situation last week, when the number of reported cases was higher outside containment zones.