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Thane death rate dropped during lockdown, claims civic chief Dr Vipin Sharma
The lockdown imposed in Thane city since July 2 has had a positive impact, claimed Thane municipal commissioner Dr Vipin Sharma, while talking to media persons on
The lockdown imposed in Thane city since July 2 has had a positive impact, claimed Thane municipal commissioner Dr Vipin Sharma, while talking to media persons on Wednesday. The city’s doubling rate has now increased to 23, and the death rate, as per the civic chief, has decreased to 1.5% in July, compared to 3.7% since March.
Sharma claimed that the number of cases in some of the hot spots like Mumbra, Lokmanyanagar, and Wagale Estate was also decreasing.
He, however, said that there is still no decision on extending the lockdown, and it will depend on the pattern of cases reported in the coming days.
“We have managed to reduce the death rate to 1.5% by screening senior citizens and patients with comorbidities. A watch is kept on critical patients to ensure proper medical treatment is provided. We have also increased contract tracing and testing capacity in the city. Till June-end, we conducted 850 tests per day; today 1,700 tests are conducted, which will increase to 3,000 next week with the rapid antigen tests,” said Sharma.
Of the total persons tested daily, 30% are positive for Covid, of which merely 5% show any symptoms and need hospitalisation.
Sharma added that the survey of people in containment zones has also increased during the two-week lockdown. “We have seen positive results during the two-week lockdown, as cases have decreased in some of the areas; the doubling rate too has increased.”
The civic chief added that the decision to extend the lockdown will be taken only after looking at the growth in cases.
Payback time for hospitals
With mounting complaints of private hospitals overcharging patients, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has now formed flying squads to keep a check on private hospitals that are now functioning as Covid hospitals. Dr Sharma informed that the hospitals will have to return the money to patients whom they had overcharged.
“We have appointed flying squads to check on each hospital if patients who do not need ICU are admitted there. I have also issued directives to the hospitals to return the money to those patients whom they have overcharged, or action will be taken,” said Sharma.
