PUNE: The number of Covid-19 care centres (CCCs) has reduced in PMC limits due to a drop in new cases.
But in Pimpri Chinchwad, the number has gone up due to the stress on institutional quarantine of all patients.
“We have decided to reduce the number of CCCs as there has been a decline in the number of new patients,” said Rajendra Muthe, head of the PMC’s establishment department.
Muthe said while some centres have been shut completely, the number of beds in others have been reduced.
According to data provided by the PMC, there are only five operational CCCs in its jurisdiction with a total capacity of 1707 beds.
From this number, only 211 are currently occupied.
Covid care centres and quarantine facilities are units in which positive patients with mild to no symptoms are asked to isolate.
Most of the occupants in these facilities have been residents of densely populated neighbourhoods where homes have limited space for patient isolation.
For home isolation, patients will need access to separate rooms and toilets.
They will also need a round-the-clock caretaker.
Data also shows nearly 75% of total positive cases are in home quarantine.
During the second wave this year, many were able to isolate at home because surges were reported more in housing societies than crowded slums.
Last year, many patients were from densely populated slums.
In Pimpri Chinchwad, PCMC chief Rajesh Patil said they will now focus on setting up small Covid centres of 50-bed capacities.
“We are going to set up four such centres in each of our eight zones.
So, there should be 32 of these centres across the twin towns.
Except for a few exceptions, stress will be on institutional quarantine to reduce the chain of transmission.” Officials with the PCMC said the civic body currently has three operational CCCs.