With 977 new cases reported on Tuesday, the total number of reported cases climbed to 10,361. Of these, 5,227 have been reported in the first 11 days of August alone. (Representational)Nagpur district is fast emerging as a major coronavirus hotspot in the state, crossing 10,000 in the total number of reported cases on Tuesday.
With the most number deaths at 38 on Tuesday, the district’s death toll has gone up to 372. Of these, 64 are from rural areas, 256 from within the city municipal limits, and 52 are from outside the district.
With 977 new cases reported on Tuesday, the total number of reported cases climbed to 10,361. Of these, 5,227 have been reported in the first 11 days of August alone.
Of 372 deaths, 246 took place in the last 11 days. Of the 10,361 cases, 3,165 have been reported from rural areas and 121 from outside the district.
The recovery rate is fast dropping with rising number of cases. Against 977 new cases detected on Tuesday, only 146 have recovered. Overall, with 5,015 patients recovering to date, the recovery rate has dropped below 50 per cent and, at present, stands at 48.4 per cent. Till July, the recovery rate was about 65 per cent. This is much below the national and state averages of 69.8 per cent and 68.33 per cent, respectively.
The death rate in the district has also soared to 3.56 per cent, much above the national average of 1.99 per cent and marginally higher than the state average of about 3.43 per cent.
The increase in the number of positive cases corresponds with increased testing too as along with the existing six major testing centres, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has now started 21 new centres, and hence, augmenting the number of tests, including rapid antigen tests. On Tuesday, 2,200 samples were tested. As many as 977 cases were recorded to be as positive, with the positivity rate of 44.4 per cent.
Explaining the sudden spurt, Municipal Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe told The Indian Express, “The most obvious factor is the unlocking and laxity in observing distancing and other norms. The other reason is we have ramped up testing from about 500 to over 4,000 per day in the last 10 days.”
He, however, said the increasing death count was a matter of concern. “But we have done the analysis and have found three main reasons. Around 40 per cent deaths reported in the last two months were of patients that came for treatment 48 hours before death or were brought dead. This means people are not disclosing illness. That’s the prime reason.”
“Second, many patients spend two to three days visiting private physicians before coming to us and, third, 60 per cent deaths are of patients aged above 50 and with co-morbidities,” he said.
Mundhe, however, expressed optimism that the situation will improve. “We are doing all that is necessary to bring it under control,” he added.