A Covid-19 vaccination drive underway at a hospital in Pune. (Express Photo by Arul Horizon) The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has taken a slew of steps to tackle the rising Covid-19 graph in the civic area.
It has decided to reopen the Auto Cluster Covid Hospital in Chinchwad and the Jumbo Covid Hospital in Nehrunagar. The civic body has also decided to set up at least two Covid Care Centres. These decisions were taken in an emergency meeting chaired by Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Patil on Saturday.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Vikas Dhakane on Sunday said, “Covid-19 cases have risen, though not to a great extent. Last month, daily new infections numbered around 30, but over 100 new cases are getting reported now. The situation is similar to what it is elsewhere in the state. It is not alarming but we are taking all steps to tackle the situation.”
At the meeting, the civic chief directed officials to ensure that doctors, nurses and other health staff are available in sufficient numbers in different hospitals. “The civic chief also took stock of the availability of medicine and related equipment in different civic hospitals,” Dhakane said.
Dhakane added that the PCMC-run YCM hospital will continue to operate as a non-Covid hospital, while other civic hospitals in Pimpri, Akurdi, Thergaon and Bhosari will admit Covid-19 patients.
In another decision, the civic chief issued directives to shops, private and government offices, banks, industrial units, workshops, hotels, bars, malls, schools and colleges, asking them to ensure that all their employees get fully vaccinated. Besides, the PCMC has also directed the institutes to not allow anyone without masks to enter their premises. “The citizens should be allowed to enter the premises only if they are fully vaccinated,” he said.
Social, religious, cultural and political events have also been limited to only 50 persons. “For funerals, 20 persons will be allowed. The restrictions have come into force from Friday midnight,” he said.
The civic body has also increased the number of Covid-testing centres. It has set up 24 new centres to conduct free Covid-19 tests. The centres have been set up in partnership with the Indian Medical Association, National Integrated Medical Association and private medical professionals.
Covid-testing centres have been set up at the YCM hospital, Old Bhosari hospital, New Thergaon hospital, New Jijamata hospital, Thergaon hospital, Ojas hospital and the Old Akurdi hospital. Such centres have also been set up at Sambhajinagar clinic, Rupeenagar clinic, Moshi clinic, Pimple Saudagar clinic, Talwade clinic and the Shahunagar centre.
Meanwhile, for the third consecutive day on Saturday, Pimpri-Chinchwad registered more than 100 Covid-19 cases. At present, Pimpri-Chinchwad has 464 active cases. Of these, 228 patients are admitted in hospitals while 236 are in home isolation.
On Saturday, Pimpri-Chinchwad registered two more Omicron cases. With this, the industrial city has so far registered 28 Omicron cases. Fifteen Omicron patients have been discharged after recovering from the disease. At present, 13 Omicron patients are under treatment at the PCMC-run Bhosari hospital, officials said.
- The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.
