Covid cases: Health facilities step up in Pune

The state health department on Tuesday issued an advisory to all local bodies to monitor influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) and review preparedness to tackle such illnesses

Following the state health department advisory following surge in Covid cases and a new sub-variant of Covid-19, known as the JN.1 strain, detected in Kerala and a few other parts of the country, the health department in Pune city is overhauling its medical infrastructure.

Healthcare workers arrange medical equipments and beds at the Government Fever Hospital after the Centre issued COVID advisory measures. (HT PHOTO)

The state health department on Tuesday issued an advisory to all local bodies to monitor influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) and review preparedness to tackle such illnesses. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in the wake of the JN.1 sub-variant reported in the country has decided to screen passengers at Pune airport.

Dr Suryakant Devkar, PMC assistant health officer, said, “As precautionary measures, we have decided to test passengers coming to Pune, including ten per cent of symptomatic and non-symptomatic travellers who have travelled to states where cases of JN.1 infection have been reported. We are monitoring the SARI and ILI cases at flu clinics. Daily testing of Covid-19 samples has been increased to 300 tests.”

PMC currently has only one Covid-19 active case and the patient is in home isolation. As many as 1,300 beds with 674 with oxygen support have been kept ready, said civic officials.

Dr Nagnath Yempalay, district civil surgeon, said, “The hospital has kept a separate ward at the Aundh district hospital with a capacity of 50 beds ready in case any spike is reported. We have enough stock of medicines, trained staff and an oxygen plant. We have made arrangements to start a 100-bed dedicated Covid facility in case of emergency. Patients with flu-like symptoms are being closely monitored.”

Dr Laxman Gophane, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) health officer, said, “Currently there is not a single case of Covid-19 in PCMC area. We have a capacity of over 1,700 beds in PCMC area at our five hospitals. In case of a surge in cases we can start a Covid treatment facility at four hospitals. We have started surveillance and monitoring of SARI and ILI cases. Samples of Covid positive patients will be sent for genome sequencing.”