Maharashtra govt ramps up efforts to tackle coronavirus

The Maharashtra government decided to increase its capacity for tests and number of beds to treat novel coronavirus patients as it reported two more cases, taking

The Maharashtra government decided to increase its capacity for tests and number of beds to treat novel coronavirus patients as it reported two more cases, taking the number of infected people in the state to 33.

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In view the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), the state issued directives to double the number of laboratories in Mumbai and state to conduct coronavirus tests and increase the capacity from daily testing of 100 samples to 350 samples at Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai. The government has also roped in KEM Hospital, Parel; Haffkine Institute, Parel and JJ Hospital, Sandhurst Road to test 250 samples each daily to reduce the burden on Kasturba Hospital.

On Sunday, a 59-year-old woman tested positive for the infection in Aurangabad, while a 37-year-old man was diagnosed with the disease in Pimpri-Chinchwad. According to officials, the 59-year-old had a travel history to Russia and Kazakhstan, while the Pimpri-Chinchwad patient had been to Japan and Dubai.

On Sunday, Mumbai did not report any case and according to civic officials, of the nine admitted patients from MMR, six of them are aged and suffer from comorbid issues. Meanwhile, the sample of a 71-year-old man who died on Saturday, while under quarantine in Buldhana, has returned negative, a health official said.

Health minister Rajesh Tope said the state government has decided to set up isolation wards and augment testing facilities. “By Wednesday, hospitals will be in service with their upgraded capacities. In the wake of the rise in the number of patients in Pune, testing facilities are also being made available at BJ Medical College with a daily capacity of 250 samples,” he said. The health authorities have been directed to keep 450 ventilators ready for emergency situations.

The state government has decided to set up a 400-bed isolation facility at SevenHills hospital in Marol and it will be extended to 1,000 beds by next week. The hospital was shut down by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in February 2019. The government has also decided to increase the capacity of the isolation facility at Kasturba Hospital to 125 beds, from the existing 80 beds.

To address the complaints about the lack of facilities at the government hospital, it has decided to provide food, TV, Wi-Fi and newspaper facilities at isolation wards across the state. Before addressing the media at Mantralaya on Sunday evening, Tope visited Kasturba hospital to oversee arrangements.

Tope on Sunday evening had announced that all cinema halls, malls (except shops selling grocery and essential commodities), gyms, cinema halls will remain shut across the state till March 31. The government has also urged the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) to postpone all its exams scheduled to be held until March 31.

Tope warned of action against those who do not follow the government’s orders. Tope said the government had created enough facilities to quarantine suspected patients and the cost of their treatment was being borne by the state. There are 75 suspected coronavirus patients in isolation wards at various facilities. A total of 1,81,925 passengers across 1,584 flights have been screened at Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur airports.

(Inputs from Rupsa Chakraborty)