Covid cases have not increased in sizeable number: PMC health dept
As per the Saturday state health department report, the PMC recorded 32 new cases of Covid. As of Saturday, there were a total 710,922 active Covid cases in the PMC limit
PUNE While cases of Covid, too, have risen in the last 10 days along with cases of cough and cold due to the erratic weather, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) health department claims that the increase in the number of Covid cases is not sizeable.
As per the Saturday state health department report, the PMC recorded 32 new cases of Covid. As of Saturday, there were a total 710,922 Covid cases in the PMC limit. Zero deaths were recorded on Saturday, taking the total number of Covid deaths in PMC as of Saturday to 9,753.
Whereas the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) recorded 20 new Covid cases on Saturday. As of Saturday, there were a total 360,770 Covid cases in the PCMC limit.
Zero deaths were recorded on Saturday, taking the total number of Covid deaths in PCMC as of Saturday to 3,633. The state health department could not provide Covid figures for March 19 as it was a Sunday.
Dr Bhagawan Pawar, health officer, PMC, said, “There has been an increase in Covid cases in Pune district however the increase is not sizeable. Like every month, the PMC will carry out a comparison of Covid cases this month with the previous month.”
Meanwhile, the PMC has not yet recorded any casualty due to the H3N2 variant. Between January and March 19 this year, 22 H3N2 cases have been recorded in private hospitals in Pune.
“The situation regarding H3N2 is in control in Pune district. Very few people are requiring hospitalisation and we hope that this trend continues in the future as well,” Dr Pawar said.
However, with H3N2 cases rising in other parts of the state, the PMC health department is keeping itself ready in case of emergency. Although doctors feel that chances of the city seeing bulk hospitalisations are rare.
Dr Suryakant Devkar, assistant health officer, PMC, said, “As of now, we have over 56,000 Tamiflu tablets; 792 vials of Remdesivir; 35,800 PPE kits; over 25,000 N-95 masks; and 1.73 lakh disposable masks.”
“The hospitalisation rate is not increasing in the city, which is a very positive sign. People must not develop a fear of H3N2 as they did of Covid. They must stay strong,” said Dr Vijay Natarajan, CEO of Symbiosis University Hospital and Research Centre (SUHRC) and cardio-thoracic surgeon, Pune.
Dr Sanjay Patil, chairperson of the hospital board of IMA, Pune chapter, said, “The number of those complaining of breathlessness and high fever has gone up dramatically. In the next 15 days, the night temperature of the city is expected to improve. We will not wake up to chilly weather and that will help reduce the number of H3N2 cases in the city.”
Gopal Jadhav, a yoga trainer in Sarasbaug, advised, “Practise suryanamaskar, pranayama and kapalbhati daily as it will help to keep diseases like H3N2 at bay.”