Active Covid cases close to 10,000 in Pimpri-Chinchwad, only 5 per cent hospitalised

The civic administration, however, said most were asymptomatic cases and those patients were in home isolation. “Only over 5 per cent patients required hospitalisation while rest of them are in home isolation.

Currently, only five patients are in intensive care units of civic hospitals while 24 are on oxygen support. “There are in total 454 Covid-19 patients in hospitals or Covid care centres. Five are in ICUs while 9,032 are in home isolation,” said civic officials.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Vikas Dhakane said the civic administration has started implementing government directives on not testing asymptomatic patients. “We are only testing those who have severe symptoms or those who are have co-morbid conditions,” he said.

With cases rising, the number of micro-containment zones has also increased to 455 while there are 91 major containment zones in the city.

Meanwhile, Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Patil has said civic hospitals will not admit patients who are in critical condition if they are brought at the last minute from private hospitals.

“The order has been issued because in the second wave, most private hospitals used to rush patients, whose condition had become very critical, to civic hospitals. As a result, the figure of deaths in civic hospitals was on the higher side. However, the order does not mean that there is a blanket ban on such admissions. The concerned hospital in-charge has been asked to take the call, especially in case of exceptional cases,” said Dhakane.

In another directive, the civic chief has banned entry of local residents to PCMC headquarters from Tuesday. Department heads have been asked to hold video-conferences with their staff. People have been asked to send their queries or complaints on emails.