Coronavirus Positive Cases in Pune District Rise to 1233 Now Including 72 deaths
Pune, April 26, 2020: In the last 12 hours, 49 new patients of COVID19 were detected in Pune district, taking the total tally to 1233 till 9 am today. Total 72 patients have died of Coronavirus in the district, said Dr Bhagwan Pawar, district health officer (DHO).
With 90 new Coronavirus positive patients till 8 pm yesterday, the total number of cases reached 1070 in Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) areas. The PMC mortality rate is one of the highest in the country. According to PMC officials, five patients died yesterday while 13 were discharged after being cured. There are still 45 critical patients undergoing treatment in different hospitals. Till now 69 patients have died in Pune city while 159 have been cured. There are 842 active patients in Pune city now.
In neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad, three new patients were detected, while three patients were discharged from hospitals yesterday. The total number of Coronavirus positive patients reached 84 out of which 24 have been cured while 4 have died.
Meanwhile, the central government on Saturday gave the green signal to plasma therapy for treating patients infected with Coronavirus at Sassoon Hospital. In Pune, there is now another ray of hope for treating COVID19 patients.
Coronaviruses cases are spreading rapidly in Pune district and the total number has crossed 1200 today. No definitive drug/vaccine has been developed to prevent this outbreak. Coronavirus positive patients are being treated with different drugs at present. Against this background, the Central Drugs Standards Control Organization (CDSCO), New Delhi, on Saturday night gave permission to BJ Medical College, which is attached to Sassoon Hospital, for the clinical trial (human test) of plasma therapy for the treatment of patients infected with Coronavirus.
The then dean of the medical college, Dr Ajay Chandanwale had sent a proposal to start plasma therapy at Sassoon Hospital. He had also brought the necessary equipment to the hospital. The proposal was approved by the Center yesterday.
The plasma therapy procedure at Sassoon Hospital was completed two days ago. Plasma therapy patient insurance and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval were in the afternoon yesterday. The FDA’s permission was granted at 3 p.m. A letter to that effect was sent by FDA’s Pune Division Joint Commissioner SB Patil sent to Delhi by e-mail. On that basis, the Center gave permission at 10 pm. The FDA received the letter last night. Dr VG Somani of the Central License Approving Authority has given permission of the centre. Therefore, the way for plasma therapy at Sassoon Hospital has been cleared.
Some part of the regional blood bank at Sassoon Hospital is reserved for this therapy. The Coronavirus cured patient’s blood contains antibodies produced by the viral infection. It can be used on critically ill patients. For this, two hundred ml blood of Coronavirus cured patient is taken and plasma is separated from it. It will now be possible to use it in Sassoon Hospital for the treatment of patients with ailments such as diabetes, high blood pressure. The authorities said that elderly persons with other ailments and suffering from Coronavirus comprise the majority of the deaths.
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