Nagpur: The state government is all set to follow the Amravati pattern of lockdown-like restrictions in a day or two to control the cases of Covid-19.
Amravati’s guardian minister and state’s woman and child development minister Yashomati Thakur has already praised the ‘Amravati pattern’.
TOI looks at how Amravati, which once had 40% sample positivity rate, controlled the infection spread “within 13 days”.
“In 13 days, we managed to control the number of daily cases to about 300 from 1,000. Had the entire state taken similar decision then, we wouldn’t been witnessing the current situation. The government is now working on the Amravati pattern,” Thakur, a Congress MLA from Tiwsa, said while speaking with reporters in Amravati on Monday.
In Amravati, 15 days of near lockdown was imposed in February. During this period, Amravati city and Achalpur town were completely closed. People in the containment zone were banned from leaving their homes.
It all began in mid-February. On February 1, there were 92 Covid-19 patients in Amravati. By February 5, the figure increased to 233, on February 10, it was 369 and on February 20, patient count reached 1,058.
The lockdown-like restrictions were imposed from February 22 to 28 and later extended for one more week up to March 7. After 15 days of strict curbs, the situation improved significantly.
Testing numbers remained same before and after the restrictions. Before the restrictions were imposed, Amravati conducted 2,500 to 2,600 tests per day. At that time, 900 patients tested positive on an average daily. After the restrictions, this number dropped to 300-350.
Sample positivity rate also fell from 48% to 9%. Now, the state government is hoping that the current surge can be controlled if similar types of restrictions are imposed in Maharashtra.
With cases under control, Amravati district is now able to cater to patients from Nagpur as well as Chhindwara and Betul in Madhya Pradesh.
It’s hard to tell how successful this pattern will be. Because Amravati was the first municipal corporation in state to take such a step giving first hints of the second wave. Now, more than 10,000 new cases are being reported from 11 districts in Vidarbha daily.
Moreover, deaths due to Covid-19 have increased. The bed and oxygen situation in hospitals is pathetic.
RISE AND FALL
Week
Restrictions
New cases
February 1st week
No restrictions/lockdown
1,079
2nd week
No restrictions/lockdown
2,236
3rd week
No restrictions
4,230
4th week
Restrictions imposed
5,593
March 1st week
Restrictions extended
4,407
2nd week
Relaxations were given
2,973
3rd week
More relaxations in markets
2,898
4th week
Only state govt restrictions
2,632
April 1st week
NO RESTRICTIONS
2,087
Amravati pattern
Early signs | Admin noticed the surge early
Early decision | Was first to impose lockdown-like restrictions in 2 towns
Strict implementation | Amravati and Achalpur were ‘locked’, no entry-no exit policy
2 weeks | Collector made clear restrictions will be for 2 weeks only
Step-by-step easing| After 2 weeks, relaxations were offered despite high cases
+ve results | Cases reduced significantly after 2 weeks of strict restrictions