Panvel sees 340 Covid-19 deaths in six weeks

The Panvel Municipal Corporation has so far recorded 54,512 cases

The Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) may have done well in containing the Coronavirus outbreak within its limits, but fatalities have emerged as a huge cause for concern. The past six weeks have seen nearly 33 per cent of all Covid-19 deaths so far.

In the first 13 days of May, the virus has claimed 152 lives with an average of 12 deaths a day. While citizens blame poor health infrastructure and preparation by the PMC, authorities claim home-quarantined patients reach hospitals too late.

With a population of 8-10 lakh, PMC has reported 54,512 Covid-19 cases till now. The recovery rate has also remained good, especially in the second wave, but not on the death front. While PMC had recorded 673 deaths before March, the figure shot up by 340 to touch 1,013 in the next 43 days.

Also read: CIDCO to develop COVID-19 care centres in Mumbai, Panvel

"There is no watch of the corporation over private hospitals, there is no policy for it. There are hardly 50 ventilators available in the PMC area. We have been demanding a dedicated Covid-19 hospital with ICU beds and ventilators but nothing has happened for the last one year," said Kantilal Kadu, the president of Panvel Sangharsh Samiti, an organisation that fights for citizens' rights. "The second lockdown has not worked in the city at all, there is no communication between cops and corporation officials at all."

Dr Santosh Wackchaure, a medical professional, said negligent citizens have played a big role in the crisis. "Very low compliance for this lockdown from citizens has led to massive infection and negligence in getting early treatment resulted in deaths. Another thing is, the health system of Panvel corporation is totally dependent upon the private sector. So there is no clinical management of the patients or strategy. This has taken a huge toll on citizens in the second wave."

PMC had appointed an expert panel to look into the deaths during the first wave, but there is no official word over its functioning and effectiveness. "There was a demand from various stakeholders to PMC to enhance oxygen and ICU beds to reduce fatalities in the second wave but it was totally ignored," said a PMC official requesting anonymity. "There are more than 150 patients in the sub-district hospital manned by only four doctors. The condition is terrible out here," he added.

PMC Commissioner Sudhakar Deshmukh sought to downplay the situation. He said "There are deaths in the pandemic's second wave, but the rate is 1.87 per cent and it's well below the state's". On the rising fatalities in PMC limits, he said, "There are many factors involved ranging from patients delaying to reach hospital and delayed testing in some pockets."

Situation grim
>> Overall deaths reported by PMC - 1,013
>> Fatalities between March 1 and May 13 - 340

152
No. of deaths in May