Pune: Pune civic and district authorities and doctors have said that Pune's situation is under control despite the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's (MOHFW) statement on Monday about Pune's doubling rate being higher than the rest of the country.
POSITIVE CASES COMING FORWARD
Speaking to Sakal Times, Naval Kishor Ram, Pune District Collector said, "We are testing more (people), so there are more cases. We are using the testing labs to their full potential. We are doing targeted testing. Private labs are testing to eliminate fear among people. However, at the National Institute of Virology (NIV) and BJGMC, the tests are done with symptomatic patients. In some areas, there are more cases. So even today if the cases are increasing, it is good that these positive cases are coming forward. We have full knowledge of the situation. This is how we will flatten the curve," said Ram.
Ram added that positive patients have to be provided with isolation facilities.
"We have to plan for the worse and hope for the best. It is more important to test more and isolate more," said Ram.
He added that the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is taking necessary steps to decongest the areas where there are more cases.
Dr Avinash Bhondwe, President of Indian Medical Association (IMA), Maharashtra, said that there is a need to spread more awareness about COVID-19.
FOCUS ON TESTING EVERYONE
"So far, our focus has been testing symptomatic patients and direct contact of positive patients. We should now focus on testing everyone. In addition to this, in a few areas, it is seen that there is less awareness about wearing masks and practising social distancing. During the two hours to buy essential products no one follows social distancing. This is resulting in more cases. Doctors and police from Pune are doing a great job, said Bhondwe.
PMC commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad said that Pune city situation is under control.
DROP IN CASES
"From the last three days, there is a slight drop in the number of positive patients in the city. We have increased sample testing. We tested a maximum of 850 samples in a day in the last few days. We have samples testing facilities in five PMC Hospitals. They have a capacity of 200 testing samples each per day. So, we can test 1,000 samples in a day. Besides that, NIV has also facilitated testing 1,000 samples in a day as they are not getting samples from other districts."
He further said that PMC has already increased contact tracing in hot spots in slum areas.
"Now, people are coming forward to give information to PMC officials, so we are easily tracing contact and screening people. We did not get any guidelines from central government teams to date. They are giving emphasise on contract tracing only. There is no plan to shift people from community areas," said Gaikwad.
NO NEED TO KEEP NEGATIVE PATIENTS IN HOSPITALS
Gaikwad further added that as per new guidelines, now there is no need to keep patients who have tested negative in the hospital.
"Earlier, we quarantined asymptomatic people and patients who tested negative as well in PMC isolation wards. Now, guidelines mentioned that we are supposed to send them home," said Gaikwad.