PUNE: The average weekly positivity rate for Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad and Pune rural has dipped to 4.8%. The rate for the district was nearly at 6% for the last two weeks, according to health officials.
While Level 3 restrictions are in place in Pune district, some relaxations are expected to be introduced after the review meeting on Saturday. Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and elected representatives will attend the meeting. The state is said to be mulling over giving fully-vaccinated persons some concessions.
At the last review meeting, Pawar had said that a proposal to allow malls to operate with fully-vaccinated persons was being discussed. The health department is also considering proposals to operate railways and push the service sector. Health officials will take the final call on the proposals.
District health officials told TOI that, for the first time ever, the positivity has dipped in the last three weeks. In fact, cases in Pune rural have reduced thanks to adequate containment measures.
Collector Rajesh Deshmukh said that after two to three weeks, there has been a dip registered in the positivity rate and it is a good sign and the measures will be further intensified in the coming weeks. He, however, said the decision on any kind of relaxation will be discussed at the review meeting on Saturday.
According to district health officer Dr Bhagwan Pawar, the positivity rate has dipped below 5% for the first time. “PMC’s weekly positivity rate is 3.9%. For PCMC, the rate is 5% and in Pune rural it is 5.4%. With a dip in cases due to containment measures in rural areas, the positivity has reduced. We had strengthened surveillance activities in the district, identified hotspots and super spreaders as well as strengthened monitoring of containment areas. Contact tracing efforts have also increased,” he explained. Areas in Pune rural had registered 7.4% weekly positivity rate in the first week of July, followed by 7.1% last week.
