PMC to step up Covid testing

Health department officials have noted that after the Wari, the daily Covid-19 case count may see a rise

After Ashadi Wari, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has increased its testing centres from 10 to 16 as the civic body fears a spike in cases in mid-July. Health department officials have noted that after the Wari, the daily Covid-19 case count may see a rise.

On June 4, total testing in Pune district was 1,750 whereas the testing was increased to 3,960 on June 23. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

On June 4, total testing in Pune district was 1,750 whereas the testing was increased to 3,960 on June 23.

Similarly, Pune city on June 4 reported testing at just 1,125 which was 1,747 on June 23, according to the district health department.

Speaking about the testing in Pune city limits, Dr Sanjeev Wavare, assistant health chief at the health department of the PMC, said that daily tests will be increased.

“There are around 1,500 to 1,800 tests per day that are conducted in the PMC limits. And to test more suspected patients, we have increased testing centres from 10 to 16. We are expecting a moderate rise in cases by July 15. We are prepared with hospital infrastructure to address the surge in cases,” said Dr Wavare.

Pune city on Saturday reported 153 new Covid-19 cases taking the total tally to 685,136 cases so far. Recently no death was reported in Pune city due to the infection. Since 2020, 9,714 deaths have been reported due to Covid within PMC limits.

Along with this, 15 patients have tested positive for the sub-variant BA.4 and BA.5. On Saturday, 17 new patients of BA.5 and 6 new patients of BA.4 were reported as per the latest report from the Kasturba Hospital Central Laboratory, Mumbai.

Dr Pradeep Awate, state surveillance officer, said that the new cases have been confirmed by the National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune.

“Kasturba Hospital Central Laboratory in Mumbai has tested 364 samples, and barring one, all have been of Omicron variant. BA.2 and BA.238 have been found most prevalent with 89 per cent or 325 patients testing positive for the variant. All these samples were collected between June 1 and June 18,” said Dr Awate.

He added that out of these 23 patients, 11 are men and 12 are women. The total tally for BA.4 and BA.5 patients in the state is now 49.

“Till Saturday, there were 15 in Pune, 28 in Mumbai, 4 in Nagpur and 2 in Thane of BA.4 and BA.5 patients,” said Dr Awate.