Pune to conduct door-to-door survey at COVID-19 hotspot in city

The decision was taken after Ayush Prasad, CEO of Pune ZP, who undertook a similar door to door exercise in rural areas of Pune across nine lakh homes, met Sassoon hospital and BJ Medical College authorities to take a stock of how many swabs could be tested in a day.

The team of health workers will conduct a door to door survey and also check if any person has co-morbidities like diabetes and hypertension, apart from travel history and contact with COVID-19 positive persons. Symptomatic persons will be sent to Sassoon hospital for tests and positive cases will then be sent to isolation facilities in the city.

“There is an increasing load on Naidu hospital, which has been sending swabs daily for tests. If one tests positive, then there are several close contacts, who as per guidelines are immediately quarantined either at home or at an institution,” Dr Ramchandra Hankare, PMC Medical chief said.

At Sassoon hospital, 50 samples are being checked daily and 23 have tested positive so far. Dr Ajay Chandanwale, dean of BJ Medical College, said they could scale up testing.

“The administration wants to ensure zero local transmission and early detection in the areas which have been sealed and hence the survey is undertaken,” Prasad said.