8,381 Patients Discharged In Maharashtra In A Single Day, Highest Since The Outbreak

Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope addressed the state on Friday to inform the citizens of the state about the prevailing situation.

Mumbai| Maharashtra has been the most affected state by the coronavirus Pandemic across the country. The state has so far reported 62,228 cases of Covid-19, whereas 2098 people have succumbed to the deadly virus. Amid the worsening scenario and imploding health system in the state due to the crisis, Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope addressed the state on Friday to inform the citizens of the state about the prevailing situation.

“Today, I am very happy to inform you about some important things,” Tope said at the beginning of his address.

“Since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, Maharashtra today recorded the highest discharge of patients in a single day. I want to share with you that today 8,381 patients were discharged from the hospitals who were being treated for Covid-19 and they have returned home after being cured. So, as of now, Maharashtra has 33,124 active cases of Covid-19. In Maharashtra, 26,997 patients have been so far cured and have returned to their homes,” Tope informed in his address.

“I would also like to tell you that out of 33,124 active cases that we have been observing, we have come to the knowledge that around 83% of these patients are asymptomatic. The rest of the patients have moderate symptoms while only 1.5% of patients are required to be treated on ventilators in ICUs,” the health minister said.

Stressing on the recovered number of patients, the Maharashtra health minister said that the state’s recovery rate has now gone up to 43%. He also said that the mortality rate in the state is 3.3 %.

He said that almost 97% of patients who get admitted to hospitals get cured of the virus and return home healthy. “This is the reason I want to tell you- Do not panic,” Tope added.

“We always talk about Mumbai having the highest cases. Yes, it is true. But its also true that 16,000 patients from Mumbai have been cured and have returned to their homes. Now, there are only 19,000 left,” Maharashtra health minister said.

“In the Mumbai region, we have enough beds with oxygen support. There is little friction in organizing ICU facilities. I would say it is ‘hand to mouth’ situation. But we are in continuous process of increasing the number of ICU facilities,” He further added.

Informing about the new facilities being set up in and across the Mumbai, Tope said that the state government is doing every possible thing it can do to control the situation.

“We have taken three important decisions in the context of this fight we are fighting,” Tope added.

“There has been a decision of increasing the salaries of doctors and health workers by Rs. 20,000. MBBS editors working in tribal areas will be paid Rs. 80,000. Specialist doctors in the tribal regions will be paid Rs. 90,000. Other than the tribal areas, we are paying Rs. 75,000 and 85,000 respectively to MBBS doctors and specialists,” Tope said.

“Earlier, the central government had declared 50 Lakh insurance for people working in the health sector. Following this lead, the Maharashtra government has extended this insurance cover to all the permanent, contractual, daily wage employees under the various government departments. If any of these employees, unfortunately, catch up with the infection and succumb to the virus, we’ll be providing Rs. 50 lakh insurance.”

“We have been often told not to spit in public. So many diseases spread due to spitting, even the coronavirus. So if you get caught spitting for the first time, you will be fined Rs. 1000 and will have to perform one day service. For the second time, you’ll be fined Rs. 3000 and service of 3 days. For the third instance, the fine will be Rs. 5000 and service of 5 days. Beyond that, there is a 6-month punishment under the IPC,” Rajesh Tope informed.