Chase the virus, form task forces: CM to district collectors, civic chiefs

Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday gave an earful to some of the district and civic chiefs for the rising rate of Covid-19 cases, fatalities and poor tracing

Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday gave an earful to some of the district and civic chiefs for the rising rate of Covid-19 cases, fatalities and poor tracing of the suspected contacts in their areas. The district and civic authorities have been asked to rigorously follow the principle of ‘chase the virus’ and constitute task forces of expert doctors to reduce the fatality rate.

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Thackeray held a video conference with district collectors and municipal commissioners of a few districts with high mortality rate and poor implementation of the guidelines. Thackeray expressed his unhappiness over the smaller number of tracing of the high and low-risk contacts in Mira-Bhayander and Pune, and high fatalities in districts like Dhule, Aurangabad etc.

“The addition of the new patients constantly in some districts and cities is worrisome. The spread can be contained only by tracing the suspects and their identification. The laidback approach towards the implementation of the state policies while combating the virus would not be tolerated,” said Thackeray.

He added that every district should have its task force of the expert doctors on the lines of the one at the state level.

“The Task Force in Mumbai has helped us in reducing the death rate. A similar team should be formulated at the district level with the help of an expert and experienced doctors. It will help the district authorities to follow the guidelines issued by the union health and family welfare ministry while treating the virus,” Thackeray said during the video conference.

State health minister Rajesh Tope asked the authorities to involve doctors associated with the Indian Medical Association in the task force. He said the non-Covid patients should not be undermined when there is a possibility of the rise in the monsoon related ailments.

Chief secretary Ajoy Mehta said that the spread rate is high where the tracing of the contacts of any positive patient is less than 10 people. He also directed the collectors to minutely monitor the apartments or buildings with positive patients.

Commissioners Mira-Bhayander, Pune, Aurangabad were told to go in for more tracing and testing. Mira-Bhayander administration has been asked to improve its doubling rate which is just around eight-nine days.

The state’s doubling rate of cases has improved to 25.9 days on June 16, from 3.5 days on March 31 and 10.2 days on April 30 and 20.1 days on May 31. The case fatality rate of the state stands at 4.77% against the national rate of 3.30%.

Mira-Bhayandar has reported 1,995 cases and has reported 99 deaths. Pune has reported 14,000 cases and has seen 610 deaths so far. Aurangabad has reported 3,064 cases and 168 fatalities.

District and civic authorities apprised the CM with the measures taken by them.