Pune district Covid positivity rate may have hit a plateau: Rao

Pune: The positivity rate of Pune district for the last week (April 12-April 18) has slightly decreased as compared to the week earlier. The positivity rate for last week stood at 25.54% as total 290,007 samples were tested and 74,083 positive cases were reported in the district during April 12-April 18.

Pune divisional commissioner Saurabh Rao admitted that the Covid positivity has stabilised in the last two weeks.

“It looks like Pune has reached a plateau. We discussed this in the state meeting on Monday. The trend clearly indicated downward graph. Particular this week has been very promising as the positivity rate has gone down. It is just the matter of couple of weeks to further consolidate this trend,” Rao said.

“There is a slight decrease in the positivity rate of Pune district. We have increased tests and are trying our best to improve the facilities,” said Rajesh Deshmukh, Pune district collector.

The highest positivity rate of 41% so far in the current month was recorded on April 4. After stricter curbs were placed in the district, the positivity rate has dropped. Positivity rate reflects the spread of the infection and the number of positives reported for every 100 tests.

The positivity rate for the week earlier (April 5-April 11) was 27.10%. Around 271,376 samples were tested and 73,564 positive cases were reported during this period.

The highest positivity rate of last week was recorded on Sunday at 28.82 % as the district reported 12,707 cases and 44,090 samples were tested. The lowest positivity rate was recorded on Wednesday (April 14) at 20.69% as on this day 7,888 cases were reported in Pune district and 38,120 samples were tested.

The total number of tests has also been increased as compared to the earlier week. On April 17, the highest number of samples were tested in the week. While 47,276 samples were tested on April 17 and 12,836 were reported positive in the district.