Even as Covid cases rise, Pune officials say there is no shortage of beds

“We have some 2,000 beds available to accommodate new Covid-19 patients at our facilities," Additional Municipal Commissioner Ajit Pawar told The Indian Express.

In the wake of the rising number of Covid-19 cases in Pune, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) on Tuesday turned down speculations that it would be soon falling short of beds to admit coronavirus patients. The PCMC also said that it was not planning to activate 23 Covid Care Centres (CCC) due to adequate availability of beds.

“We have some 2,000 beds available to accommodate new Covid-19 patients at our facilities,” Additional Municipal Commissioner Ajit Pawar told The Indian Express.

Pawar said since there were adequate beds available as of now and there was no need to activate the Covid Care Centres. “We will keep them ready so that they can be activated as and when needed,” he said.

As for restarting the 800-bed Jumbo facility at Nehrunagar which was shut down in January after the number of cases nosedived, Pawar said, “A decision regarding this will be taken later in the afternoon at a meeting with the district collector. Only after final approval will we start the facility.”

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Pawar said as of now they are admitting Covid patients at YCM hospital in Pimpri, Jijamata Hospital in Pimpri, New Bhosari Hospital, Auto Cluster in Bhosari and Balnagari Covid Care Centre in Indrayaninagar.

“At New Bhosari Bhosari, where 100 beds are available, we don’t have a single patient so far,” he said.

Similarly, the 200-bedded Auto Cluster facility has been filled to capacity. PCMC officials said the facility offers free treatment, unlike private hospitals.

Meanwhile, by Monday evening, Pimpri-Chinchwad saw a significant dip in the number of Covid-19 patients with only 253 new cases being recorded.

Since last week, around 400 or more cases have been recorded daily. But Tuesday was the first day when there was a big dip, civic officials said.

Pimpri-Chinchwad has till date has seen 1,05,957 positive cases. Out of these, 1,00,684 have been discharged after recovery. On Tuesday, the industrial city had 3,423 active cases.

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