There has been a slight rise in the number of Covid-19 cases in Mumbai. There were 2,116 new infections and 66 Covid-19 fatalities on Wednesday, increasing the total count to 6,82,102, with 14,008 deaths till now. The recovery rate has touched 92%, with 6,27,373 patients being recovered and discharged across the city so far.
The state also witnessed a surge in daily Covid cases on Wednesday, with 46,781 new infections and 816 Covid-19 fatalities being reported in the last 24 hours, pushing its tally to 52,26,710, with 78,007 deaths. The recovery rate of the state has also increased to 88 per cent, with 58,805 patients being recovered in the last 24 hours, taking the total recovery count to 46,00,196.
Health experts and state officials attribute the rise in deaths in the rural and semi-urban areas to higher viral activity in these areas in the second wave and poor health infrastructure.
“Compared to the previous wave, the rural and semi-urban areas saw more viral activity. The local body elections in January, weddings, public gatherings and increased movement of people led to more cases. The public health facilities do not have quality infrastructure. There aren’t enough private hospitals in rural areas, tier-two cities have them, but they are not as good as Mumbai or Pune,” said a health official.
Dr Subhash Salunkhe, former director-general of health services (Maharashtra) and advisor to the state on Covid-19, said there are multiple factors leading to higher deaths in rural and semi-urban areas, including poor health infrastructure, mutating virus and inadequate quantity of drug as well as oxygen.
“The sheer number of cases that are recorded in the second wave has put pressure on health infrastructure in many districts. One nurse is minding 30 patients, including critical ones, on one night shift. How can one manage? There was a shortage of drugs, oxygen, etc too. Besides, earlier, patients used to be fine within seven days. Now, they become critical after eight to nine days in some cases, leading to deaths,” he said.
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