The Covid-19 pandemic situation in Maharashtra’s highly industrial belt of Mumbai-Pune-Nashik is going to be deteriorating further with addition of more than 2 lakh active patients in nearly 10 days time, according to official projections.
The area comprises the Mumbai Metropolitan Region including twin districts of Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban, large parts neighbouring Thane, Palghar, Raigad districts and Pune and Nashik – of the total 36 districts in Maharashtra.
The MMR-Pune-Nashik is often referred to as the 'Golden Triangle' of Maharashtra, and comprises 16 of the 48 Lok Sabha and 100 of the 288 Vidhan Sabha seats.
The current situation and projects were discussed at the weekly Cabinet meeting presided over by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday.
The total active patients in Maharashtra stood at 6,76,998 as on Tuesday evening.
“The total active patients in these seven districts as on 20 April was 3,51,763, while on 2 May, it is expected that it would touch 5,58,199,” according to the projections of the Public Health Department. Thus, it means that the numbers would increase by 2,06,436. A cross-section of doctors and epidemiologists that DH spoke to, felt that the situation is grim. “It is a difficult situation. In Mumbai, Pune and Nashik, people are now not getting beds, oxygen and medicine…10 days down the line, the situation would be extremely difficult,” a senior infectious diseases expert said.
According to the projections, the active patients now and on 2 May and in Mumbai would be (82,671) 1,46,065; Thane (80,440) 1,22,476; Palghar (13,573) 17,654; Raigad (13,279) 18,446; Pune (1,17,521) 1,85,192, and Nashik (44,279) 68,336.