<p>More than a year into the Covid-19 pandemic, Maharashtra has scaled up the health infrastructure significantly, but there are still challenges ahead of the possible third wave.</p>.<p>Accordingly, the health infra in the state is being enhanced – particularly in terms of medical oxygen.</p>.<p>On Friday evening, during his webcast on the eve of Maharashtra Day, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray reeled out facts and figures. According to him, in March 2020, when the pandemic first broke out, the state had two Covid-19 tests labs – Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai and National Institute of Virology in Pune. Now, the state has 609 testing labs.</p>.<p>Thackeray compared figures of Covid care centres and beds between June 2020 and April 29, 2021. During this period, the number of Covid centres have increased from 2,665 to 5,595 while the bed strength rose from 3,36,384 to 4,31,902.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/anthony-fauci-suggests-a-few-weeks-lockdown-in-india-to-break-chain-of-coronavirus-transmission-981164.html" target="_blank">Read | Anthony Fauci suggests a few weeks' lockdown in India to break chain of coronavirus transmission</a></strong></p>.<p>The numbers of oxygen beds have increased from 42,813 to 86,908, while ICU beds have increased from 11,882 to 28,937. Besides, ventilators have increased from 3,788 to 11,713.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, oxygen-producing capacity in the state is 1,270 MT while the current use is around 1,615 MT. The state’s quota decided by the Centre is 1,784 MT.</p>.<p>Thackeray said the state has to plan for the third wave from now on. “It may hit us in July or August. We will have to become self-sufficient, especially in oxygen supply,” he said.</p>.<p>Around 275 Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants are being set up in districts/tehsils; the Centre will be making 10 of them.</p>.<p>“The Maharashtra government is ready to tackle the third wave of coronavirus. The second wave was expected, but nobody knew it would be so ferocious,” he added.</p>.<p>The state also has the capacity to ramp up and vaccinate eight lakh people per day, provided vaccine stocks are available.</p>
<p>More than a year into the Covid-19 pandemic, Maharashtra has scaled up the health infrastructure significantly, but there are still challenges ahead of the possible third wave.</p>.<p>Accordingly, the health infra in the state is being enhanced – particularly in terms of medical oxygen.</p>.<p>On Friday evening, during his webcast on the eve of Maharashtra Day, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray reeled out facts and figures. According to him, in March 2020, when the pandemic first broke out, the state had two Covid-19 tests labs – Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai and National Institute of Virology in Pune. Now, the state has 609 testing labs.</p>.<p>Thackeray compared figures of Covid care centres and beds between June 2020 and April 29, 2021. During this period, the number of Covid centres have increased from 2,665 to 5,595 while the bed strength rose from 3,36,384 to 4,31,902.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/anthony-fauci-suggests-a-few-weeks-lockdown-in-india-to-break-chain-of-coronavirus-transmission-981164.html" target="_blank">Read | Anthony Fauci suggests a few weeks' lockdown in India to break chain of coronavirus transmission</a></strong></p>.<p>The numbers of oxygen beds have increased from 42,813 to 86,908, while ICU beds have increased from 11,882 to 28,937. Besides, ventilators have increased from 3,788 to 11,713.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, oxygen-producing capacity in the state is 1,270 MT while the current use is around 1,615 MT. The state’s quota decided by the Centre is 1,784 MT.</p>.<p>Thackeray said the state has to plan for the third wave from now on. “It may hit us in July or August. We will have to become self-sufficient, especially in oxygen supply,” he said.</p>.<p>Around 275 Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants are being set up in districts/tehsils; the Centre will be making 10 of them.</p>.<p>“The Maharashtra government is ready to tackle the third wave of coronavirus. The second wave was expected, but nobody knew it would be so ferocious,” he added.</p>.<p>The state also has the capacity to ramp up and vaccinate eight lakh people per day, provided vaccine stocks are available.</p>
