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Rural Pune caseload keeps district under Covid norms as is, for now
PUNE After the chief minister’s meeting with the state Covid task force, health minister Rajesh Tope, on Thursday, announced that Covid curbs in 11 districts, including Pune, would not be eased
PUNE After the chief minister’s meeting with the state Covid task force, health minister Rajesh Tope, on Thursday, announced that Covid curbs in 11 districts, including Pune, would not be eased. However, the Pune district administration clarified that the Covid situation in its three administrative units - Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), and Pune Rural would be considered separately as per earlier guidelines issued by the state government.
In Pune district, the weekly positivity rate in the PMC limits is 3.37%, below the state average of 3.8%. Whereas the positivity rate in rural Pune is higher than the state average, at 6.79% on Wednesday.
According to district officials, details of a possibility of relaxations would be discussed at the weekly Covid review meeting to be held on Friday.
“As per earlier state guidelines we consider the three separate administrative units in Pune district for the decision-making process related to Covid containment measures. The detailed guidelines of the recent developments are awaited. Further decisions could be made based on those,” said Rajesh Deshmukh, collector, Pune district.
Earlier, when the state government had announced its five-level restriction plan, the three administrative units in the district had different levels of restrictions based on the positivity rate and oxygen-bed occupancy rate.
Initially, PMC and PCMC were under level 3 restrictions and level 4 was imposed in the rural parts. As the positivity rate in rural areas did not drop below 5%, the level 4 restrictions have not been lifted in these parts.
The caseload in the rural parts has remained higher than the urban areas for the last few weeks. As of Wednesday, there were 9,265 active Covid cases in the district and 5,918 of these are in rural areas. The weekly positivity rate in PCMC was recorded at 4.31% on Wednesday, slightly higher than the state average.
Health minister Rajesh Tope said on Thursday, that even if 25 districts are set to see relaxations, local administrations of the remaining 11 districts can impose extra restrictions to contain the spread of the infection.
“A report on suggestions and recommendations related to relaxations has been submitted to the chief minister. He will take a final call and a detailed order will be issued in the next two days. Eleven districts in the state remain a matter of concern,” said Rajesh Tope in Mumbai.
Last week, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar had hinted at relaxations in Pune city. Following his announcement, traders, hoteliers, and other business operators are eagerly awaiting a decision. The final decision on the relaxations in Pune was expected on Monday, but no announcement was made. Business operators are hoping for a definitive decision at this week’s Covid review meeting.
