Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is claiming to have positively managed to reduce the positivity rate of the cases of novel coronavirus in the city. However, analysis of daily tests conducted, areas of tests conducted to check the spread and the reported daily count is quite inconsistent. It has been revealed that the PMC has reduced daily COVID-19 tests by more than 1,000 resulting number of cases reported daily has gone down.

The positivity rate of the infection is still as high as 27 per cent in the city if the reduced daily test count is considered. As per statistics, in last one month, the positivity rate is around 29 per cent. The number of daily tests conducted by the administration in the city since a fortnight has decreased at least by an average of 1,000 per day. For this, the daily testing hours have been reduced by keeping the swab collection centre closed for one day every week.

So far, the highest number of Covid tests conducted in a single day is about 8,500. This increased the burden on the public and private healthcare services in the city. Hence the number of tests has been dropped to an average of 6,500 to 7,000 tests on single day.

Reacting to claims, Dr Sanjeev Wavare, Assistant Health Chief of PMC said, “According to guidelines by ICMR, we are testing people who have severe or mild symptoms of the infection. Asymptomatic people are not being tested but those who have come in close contact of identified patients are being tested.”

The areas where the maximum number of tests are being conducted has also become important now. The scenario of infection spread in the city has changed considerably. In the earlier stages, the infections were largely detected in slum parts and the Peth areas but now the infection is spreading in areas which were once called as Green Zones.

Deputy Chief Minister of the state Ajit Pawar has also expressed his anger at the review meeting as the local administration officials have failed to bring the crisis in city. He had publicly warned to transfer the officials if they do not perform.