Maharashtra CM Thackeray holds meetings to review COVID-19 situation in Pune

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], July 30 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday held two meetings in Pune to review the COVID-19 situation in the district.
he held the first meeting with public representatives of Pune including MLAs, MPs and mayors of Pune district, while the other meeting was with administrative officials of the district.
Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, ministers Aditya Thackeray, Dilip Valse Patil, and Dattatray Bharne were also present for the meeting with the Chief Minister.
During his meeting with officials, the Chief Minister instructed them to increase contact-tracing and testing in order to control the COVID-19 situation.
He also asked officials to focus more on rural areas in order to prevent the spread there.
Giving an example of Mumbai Jumbo COVID centres, the Chief Minister pointed out that there was a need to build Jumbo COVID centres in Pune to make more beds available for patients in the coming times.
Talking about delay in results of the samples, he said this is a serious thing and everyone must work together to make it fast so that results of testing can be received early.
Public representatives from Pune raised several issues with the Chief Minister in the meeting including, funding-related problems, missing death cases and shortage of ventilators as well as oxygen beds for COVID-19 patients.
"I have informed the CM that Pune Municipal Corporation may face financial issues to fight with COVID-19 situation in the coming time and for that there is a need for the state to provide more funds to PMC to tackle the situation," Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol told ANI.
The Chief Minister assured public representatives that there is enough stock of PPE kits, N-95 masks, and other equipment in the state.
However, he also informed them that a request was made by him to the Prime Minister to provide more ventilators, PPE kits and N-95 masks after September 1 to tackle the situation.
This was the first meeting Thackeray held outside Mumbai to review the COVID situation. This was also his first-ever tour to review the situation since the pandemic struck the state.
Pune district has reported 78,013 cases including 25,530 active cases and 1,858 deaths.
It is also one of the districts conducting the most number of tests (Antigen +RT-PCR) in a day with over 12,000 tests per day average. (ANI)