On March 5, the PMC registered 830 new infections and five deaths. The Covid-19 toll is now at 4,881, while the active case count stands at 6,160. (File Photo)
After registering no deaths due to coronavirus infection for the first time in almost 10 months — on February 6 this year — the Pune Municipal Corporation is facing a very different situation one month down the line. It has registered 107 deaths due to Covid-19 and 13,401 new cases in the last one month. The positivity rate has also remained consistently above 10 per cent for the last few days.
On March 5, the PMC registered 830 new cases and five deaths due to Covid-19, taking the toll to 4,881 and the active case count to 6,160.
The PMC active case count had dropped to 1,383 on February 7 from around 19,000 during the peak of the pandemic last year. In a month’s time, the active cases have increased to 6,160 in civic limits, with 300 patients in critical condition and 664 on oxygen support.
The PMC had registered no Covid deaths on February 6 this year after registering deaths due to the viral infection every day since March 30, except for April 15, last year. A total of 4,774 people had succumbed to Covid-19 till February 6.
The PMC had closed Covid care centres (CCC) across the city and removed almost all restrictions that were put in place to contain the spread of Covid-19, while setting guidelines for activities and services in each sector to begin normal functions. It has continued the mandatory rule on use of masks in public places and maintaining social distancing.
However, the increase of active cases due to faster spread of the viral infection has once again made the administration pull up its socks. The PMC has declared 42 micro-containment zones in the city, declared if a building has five active cases, or a locality or housing society has at least 20 active cases.
According to authorities, the decision to close schools, colleges and coaching classes is likely to be extended beyond March 14. “The administration is also planning to impose more restrictions after reviewing the situation next week. The situation is being tracked closely and sectors that are likely to be super-spreaders will face closure as per the need of the situation,” said a senior civic officer, adding that the review will take place in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
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Meanwhile, the PMC is continuing to scale up its vaccination drive to inoculate eligible citizens. It has so far administered the first dose to 35,052 healthcare workers and second dose to 5,318 healthcare workers, while 18,373 frontline workers have got the first dose and 58 have taken the second dose.
The PMC has inoculated 9,802 senior citizens and 1,051 people with co-morbidities. It has been increasing the number of vaccination centres and will be carrying out vaccination in a total of 67 centres, including 41 government-run hospitals and 26 private hospitals. Three centres — Kamala Nehru Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi Hospital and Naidu Hospital are carrying out vaccinations in two shifts — from 8 am to 3 pm and 3 pm to 10 pm, while other centres are operational from 9 am to 5 pm.