Is Maharashtra Ready for Huge Spike Estimated in COVID-19 Cases?
Maharashtra could see a huge spike in COVID-19 cases. But data shows that state govt isn’t really prepared for it.
Video Editor: Varun Sharma
Video Producer: Shohini Bose
Graphics: Aroop Mishra
Total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Maharashtra has crossed 6,000, making it the most affected state in India. State’s Health Minister Rajesh Tope, in his Facebook live, indicated that there could be a huge spike in cases in the state between 30 April and 15 May. But is the state government prepared to fight it?
Before we speak about Maharashtra, let’s see the situation in Mumbai, specifically. Mumbai has more than 3,000 positive cases and is the worst affected in the state. According to the BMC, certain private and government hospitals have been dedicated to treat COVID-19 cases.
Here’s how these hospitals are prepared to fight COVID-19:
According to BMC, apart from hospitals dedicated to treat COVID-19 cases, 11,000 wards, including 10,000 hotel rooms have been arranged. Mumbai has seen a huge number of asymptomatic cases. BMC has arranged these 11,000 isolation wards for asymptomatic patients so that dedicated hospitals can cater to positive cases.
Is Mumbai Prepared to Tackle Huge Spike In Cases?
As per data, hospitals dedicated to treat COVID-19 cases has 2,038 beds for close to 1 lakh people. COVID-19 is rapidly spreading in Mumbai's slums and curbing spread of the virus in slums is still a big challenge for BMC, which is now planning to:
- Arrange 30,000 isolation beds and
- Double the number of ventilators by 30 April
Data shows that currently the Maharashtra government or BMC aren’t really prepared to fight the huge spike in cases expected in May.
What’s The Scenario In Maharashtra?
Now if we talk about the rest of Maharashtra, the state has more than 6,000 cases, but if we take out the cases in Mumbai, then that leaves out almost 35% of the cases from the rest of Maharashtra. According to the state govt:
If the ventilators of private hospitals that have an alliances with the state government under the Mahatma Jotirao Phule Health Mission are added, then the number of ventilators in the state is around 3,000.
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