80% cases in Maharashtra asymptomatic; infra being ramped up: CM

Even as the positive coronavirus cases in Maharashtra have been increasing, the state has been successful in curbing exponential growth, said Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday (April 26).

“The number of cases in the state is constantly increasing, but we have achieved quite a success in curbing the exponential growth of infections,” he said while addressing the state via video message.

Praising the patience of people at this critical juncture and the minimal celebrations for festivities opted by them due to the lockdown, he said, “The temples, masjids are closed because God is today within us busy saving our lives in these hard times. Police, doctors, cleanliness workers, and all the other frontline workers are these gods.”

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To date, the state has reported 7,810 positive cases and 323 deaths, of which the chief minister revealed that around 80 per cent of the cases are of asymptomatic patients.

“We are trying to figure out the measures to save the lives of these 20 per cent symptomatic patients with moderate or severe illness and decrease the death rate,” Thackeray said.

According to data given by the state’s health department, of the total 1,08,972 tests conducted until Sunday (April 26) morning, 1,01,163 or 92.8 per cent of them are negative.

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The testing efficiency (number of positives per hundred tests) for the state stands at 7.16 per cent as compared to India’s 4.3 per cent.

Maharashtra has conducted the highest number of tests than any other state in the country.

Related news: 52-year-old becomes Maharashtra’s second cop to die of COVID-19 in 48 hours

In a first for the state, Thackeray informed that huge makeshift hospitals and quarantine facilities are being constructed in Mumbai considering the potential surge in cases, if any.

“Goregaon exhibition ground and Worli have got huge facilities,” Thackeray said while showing pictures of these facilities in a Twitter live.

He urged the people to not hide symptoms and get screened and/or treated immediately in their nearest fever clinics.

“Special care is being taken in congested places like Dharavi where people who came in direct contact with positive patients are being tested for COVID-19 and discharged only after negative test results,” he added.

The state has established three types of clinical facilities — fever clinics for those with basic cough, cold-like symptoms but not tested for COVID-19, treatment of positive patients with moderate illness, comprehensive care facilities for severe patients.

Related news: Lockdown likely to extend in Mumbai, Pune till May 15

The chief minister asked people to unite in the country’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic by keeping aside the politics.

He thanked cabinet minister Nitin Gadkari for appealing the same to the entire political fraternity in the state.