Pune: 20,000 new cases expected, PMC to set-up seven new COVID Care Centres  

Pune, July 7, 2020: Anticipating an increase by 20,000 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the city, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is gearing up to facilitate adequate treatment and facilities to citizens. It will be adding seven new COVID Care Centres to the existing 20 centres in Pune.

Set-up new COVID Care Centres: The civic body is underway transforming Pune’s College of Agriculture and College of Engineering, Pune (CoEP) into COVID care centres. Agriculture college will accommodate 800 beds, whereas in 600 beds will be available in 200 rooms of CoEP, informed PMC commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad.

The current situation of the pandemic in the city is very grim. While the testings have been increased, cases of COVID-19 is likely to rise as well, stated Gaikwad. “There is a possibility of an increase in the cases by 20,000 till July end. Therefore, we are trying to make the necessary arrangements to facilitate more patients. There will be an addition of COVID Care Centres in the city as well,” he said. 

Apart from the abovementioned colleges, even the badminton courts in the city will be transformed into the COVID Care Centres. The civic administration is also planning to set-up a big COVID Care Centre in Pune, as like Mumbai.

PMC’s health scheme likely to expand: PMC has been providing COVID treatment to infected patients under the urban-poor health scheme. Under this scheme, the local administration shares 50 percent of the treatment cost with the patients giving the rest 50 percent. The limit of the scheme is upto Rs 1 lakh per family. However, PMC is mulling upon expanding the amount, in many cases, there are around three to four people from the same family who are affected together. Gaikwad also informed that the administration has also conducted interviews of doctors for the new COVID Care Centres and the recruitment process will be completed soon. Orders for which will be issued within 24 hours, stated the commissioner.

COVID cases in PMC building: So far, 142 PMC staff members have been infected by COVID-19, of these 70 staff members have recovered.