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Pune city’s positivity rate below 10 per cent for four successive days
The positivity rate in the Pune municipal corporation limits for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, was 7.61%, 8.33% and 7.38%, respectively, while on Sunday, it stood at 7.82% with 709 cases against 9,066 tests, according to the district health office
As the number of Covid cases continues to drop in city, the daily positivity rate has followed, dropping below 10 per cent for four successive days.
The positivity rate in the Pune municipal corporation (PMC) limits for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, was 7.61%, 8.33% and 7.38%, respectively, while on Sunday, it stood at 7.82% with 709 cases against 9,066 tests, according to the district health office.
With latest tally, the average weekly positivity rate between May 16 and May 22, has been under 10%, at 9.26%.
PMC commissioner Vikram Kumar said, “The number of positive cases have been going down. The positivity rate has come down to 8%. Now, beds are available and necessary medicines are available. We hope this trend continues. People need to keep following the norms and should continue Covid-appropriate behaviour.”
Pune mayor Muralidhar Mohol said the situation is in control in the city now, but people should not stop observing appropriate behaviour.
“On April 18, the number of active patients in the city was 56,636. It was reduced to 12,330 on May 22. In the last one month the number of active patients has come down by 44,000 and is a silver lining for the city.”
The week also saw Pune record less than 1,000 fresh cases for four days in a row.
On April 8, Pune city had recorded its highest daily positive caseload of 7,010, with the positivity rate crossing 35%.
With caseload dropping below the 1,000 mark, traders and hoteliers have started pushing for reopening of the markets and easing of existing restrictions. Responding to this demand, Mohol said that the administration will have to be cautious while easing curbs.
“We cannot reopen everything in a hurry. It will have to be in the phases. Otherwise, there can be a resurgence of the infection. The discussion will take place in this week’s Covid review meeting. We need to tackle the soaring cases of mucormycosis and there is the possibility of the third wave,” Mohol said.
The downward trend of Covid positive cases has also been observed in Pimpri-Chinchwad. The number of active patients recorded on Saturday in Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) limits was at 7,800.
According to Rajesh Patil, PCMC commissioner, in the last 10 days, the average positivity rate in Pimpri-Chinchwad has been 11%.
