Maharashtra Covid news live: Two die of mucormycosis in Thane, six hospitalised

The Pimpri Chinchwad police will launch a helpline — Police Samaritan — for people struggling with different issues due to the pandemic. The police have issued four helpline numbers that will be operational from May 15. Pimpri Chinchwad police commissioner Krishna Prakash has initiated the helpline in coordination with two social organisations. Due to rising number of Covid-19 cases, people are struggling with different problems such as ambulance drivers overcharging patients or even family members of Covid-positive patients facing problems getting essentials as well as medicines. “They can contact the helpline numbers and the police will provide help,” said an officer from the Pimpri Chinchwad police.

A primary health centre (PHC) at Waluj near Aurangabad has become the first in the state to have oxygen generation plant capable of catering to 48 patients round the clock. There are over 1,800 PHCs in the state, meeting the medical care requirements of 30,000 people. The PHC, which is surrounded by MIDC Waluj industrial area, was a six-bed hospital. During the pandemic last year, its spacious premises was utilized and it was upgraded to a 50-bed hospital. The capacity of this PHC was further increased to 100 beds in February this year, after the number of Covid-19 positive patients registered a surge in Gangapur tehsil. Authorities said that this oxygen generation plant has been setup with the financial assistance from the Jankidevi Bajaj Gram Vikas Sanstha.

The Maharashtra government will float tenders to procure one lakh vials of the Amphotericin B antifungal injections required for the treatment of the deadly mucormycosis infection that is affecting Covid patients or those who have recovered. Public health minister Rajesh Tope on Tuesday said the state had nearly 2,000 patients under treatment for the fungal infection that can lead to blindness or be potentially fatal if not treated on time. In neighbouring Dombivli’s AIMS Hospital,14 cases have been reported in the past two weeks, including two fatalities—a 69-year-old from KDMC and one from Thane rural, said Dr Ashwini Patil of KDMC.

The Pune police have engaged many youngsters — mostly students — as special police officers (SPOs) to assist them in policing, patrolling, nakabandi and allied tasks. The objective, particularly in areas under the newly merged Loni Kalbhor and Lonikand police stations, is to enable these units to overcome the issue of staff shortage. Loni Kalbhor and Lonikand police stations collectively cover an area of 589sqkm. which is nearly the size of the Pune police commissionerate (590sqkm) prior to the merger.

The state government on Tuesday provided the district with 75,500 Covishield doses that would be used as the second shot for beneficiaries aged 45 years and above. Read more

Maharashtra reported lower daily cases (40,956) for the second day in a row on Tuesday, but Covid fatalities at 793 reported a 44% jump from Monday (549). Fatalities remained a worry in the city too, with 51 deaths recorded on Tuesday. However, cases stayed under 2,000 (1,717) for consecutive days, taking the total to 6.8 lakh. Read more

In view of the massive shortage of vaccines in Maharashtra, the state task force has advised the MVA government to suspend the drive for 18-44 years till June 1, by which time more doses are expected to be available. READ MORE

The Citizens Against Covid (India) - a forum of individuals coordinating relief and medical support to Covid patients and their relatives in Mumbai and Goa via a dedicated helpline, has condemned the move by Oxygen Cylinder manufacturing companies to hike the rates of empty oxygen cylinders in India.

The vaccination numbers in Maharashtra dropped to 1,10,448 on Saturday from an average of 2.5-3 lakh vaccinations in the past week. A state official said that with the 7 lakh doses received on Sunday, the state’s drive could continue for three days.