The recent surge in coronavirus cases is causing grave worry to Maharashtra. The state has been the worst-hit state in India by the pandemic.
According to reports, Maharashtra contributes 56 per cent of the total active cases in India. While only seven per cent of Maharashtra’s population is vaccinated so far.
Out of the 10 districts with the highest number of cases, eight are in Maharashtra -- Pune, Nagpur, Thane, Mumbai, Amravati, Jalgaon, Nashik, Aurangabad. The case fatality rate too continues to remain almost one percentage point above the national average.
The Union Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that vaccination in areas that are emerging as hotspots should be intensified or prioritised. Testing has to be augmented to bring the test positivity rate to less than five per cent. The mainstay of testing shall be RT-PCR, the state should also utilise kits as per ICMR guidance especially in containment zones and high-risk settings like super-spreader events, bus stops, railway stations, slums, densely populated areas etc., the Union health secretary wrote in his letter.
He also stated that as of March 12, 2021, only 23.9 lakh vaccination doses have been administered as part of the coronavirus vaccination drive. The need of the hour is to prioritise high burden districts for vaccinations to achieve herd immunity faster. If we have to remain free of the virus, it is very important that all our armamentarium such as COVID-appropriate behaviour, health system readiness etc. is brought into facing this pandemic.
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