Pune: The civic and health administrative officials are expecting the surge in total COVID-19 cases to continue with 11,000 new COVID-19 positive cases and an increase of 8,500 active cases in the next four days in the city. The total cases are expected to hit 60,000 mark by July 31 and one lakh by August end.
Rubal Agrawal, Additional Commissioner of Pune Municipal Corporation said, "We are expecting the total number of COVID-19 cases to cross the 60,000 mark by July 31. Out of those, the anticipated total active cases will be 27,000. The active cases as of July 27 are 18,546 and they will be on the higher side by the month-end. We are trying to reduce this count of cases. The patients from outside districts or talukas are accounting for 30 per cent of the present count."
"The anticipated total number of COVID-19 cases till August end is one lakh. After August 15, the city will show some decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases reported daily, but we are preparing for the worst-case scenario," Agrawal claimed.
Divisional Commissioner Officer on Special Duty Saurabh Rao said, "During the recent 10-day strict lockdown, we have conducted aggressive testing in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad city and rural areas of the district. About 1,24,116 samples were tested during the lockdown period. The case fatality rate was 2.74 per cent before the lockdown but it has now come down to 2.38 per cent. It will certainly come down further as we will keep the daily testing rate high."
District Collector Naval Kishor Ram said, "A total of 30,000 samples were tested in the rural areas of Pune district. We have come across several cases where citizens are suppressing their symptoms of COVID-19. Some persons had hidden severe symptoms of COVID-19 till their oxygen saturation levels in the body dropped to 34 per cent. This is a major cause of worry with respect to implement tracing of high-risk contacts and further containment strategy."
The COVID-19 situation in Pune city on Monday (July 27)
