Ajit Pawar asked Pune Municipal Corporation and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations to increase Covid-19 testing and also focus on contact tracing.
In the light of increasing Covid cases in Pune district, some of the restrictions relaxed recently are being brought back including suspension of schools, colleges and private coaching in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad till February 28 when the situation will be reviewed again, said Pune divisional Commissioner Saurabh Rao.
Movement of people will also be restricted between 11pm and 6am when only essential activities like medical services, milk supply will be allowed. The hotels, restaurants and bars will not be allowed to operate beyond 11pm unlike the previously decided 1am deadline while micro-containment zones will be back in some parts of the city identified as Covid hotspots. Supply of vegetables and foodgrain has been exempted from restrictions. Implementation of new timings for hotels, restaurants and bars will be applicable from Monday.
“Since past few days, the Covid positivity rate of Pune city has increased to 10% from 4.5% a fortnight ago. In the light of this, we have decided to impose certain restrictions,” said Rao after the meeting chaired by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.
Pawar asked Pune Municipal Corporation and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations to increase Covid-19 testing and also focus on contact tracing. The minister also instructed resumption of Covid care centres in rural parts the district with a high prevalence of the disease.
Over 847 new Covid-19 cases were recorded within 24 hours on Saturday, taking the active case count to over 9,217 and the progressive count stood at 3.99 lakh out of which 3.81 lakh have recovered and 8,076 were declared dead. The department also reported eight new deaths on Saturday.
Pune city reported 430 new cases taking the progressive count to 203,782 and the death toll stood at 4,563 as five deaths were reported in the 24 hours preceding Saturday. PCMC reported 189 fresh cases, taking the progressive count to 99,596 and the death toll reached 1,323 with two deaths reported in the last 24 hours preceding Saturday. Similarly, Pune rural reported 228 new cases with the progressive count reaching 95,876 and the death toll reached 2,142 with one new death reported.
