With two new positive cases in Mumbai, count in state now 41

This picture has been used for representational purposes

Two new positive cases of COVID-19 were reported in the state on Tuesday of which one from the city has been admitted at Kasturba Hospital. The count in Mumbai has now reached 15. Another new case was also reported in Pimpri Chinchwad taking the state tally to 41 cases.

The city's new case is a 49-year-old man from the eastern suburbs who was admitted at Kasturba Hospital on March 16 and had recently travelled to the US. "He landed in Mumbai on March 7. After tracing his contacts, four high-risk patients who came in contact with him were advised to get themselves admitted. Seven other low-risk contacts have been advised home isolation," said Dr Daksha Shah, deputy executive health officer.

Dr Shah added that at Kasturba hospital, a team of 24 doctors are working round the clock in three shifts along with 41 nurses and 35 sweepers and ward boys. The doctors are seeing patients in the outpatient department as well as in the isolation wards. Till Tuesday, the OPD was visited by 2,247 patients and 82 people are currently admitted at Kasturba hospital. At the quarantine facility at Seven Hills Hospital, there are 16 patients and at Mirage Hotel, there are 24.

The second case involves a 26-year-old man, a resident of Pimpri Chinchwad, who had travelled to the US. He returned to Mumbai on March 14 and was tested positive.

When asked about the lack of ICU facility at Kasturba hospital to treat patients who are in a critical condition (the 64-year-old patient who died on Tuesday), Dr Shah said that the civic body is speaking to private hospitals. Patients will soon be able to visit the isolation facilities in 12 private hospitals, he added.

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