Maharashtra Covid mortality rate: Jalgaon & Dhule over 11%, several notches higher than state’s 3.25%

In Jalgaon, where 69 people died due to Covid-19 infection while 555 others were positive for the infection till May 29, health officials said maximum deaths occurred in the last few days. While on May 27, 10 people died, eight deaths were reported on May 22, three others on May 18. On Saturday, three more deaths were reported in the Jalgaon.

Civil surgeon Dr Nagesh Chavan said most patients who succumbed to the virus were reaching hospitals late. “Eight people were brought dead. Since they reach late, they are already critical,” he said. District data shows at least 49 people who died had co-morbidities and 60 were senior citizens. “These are major factors why Covid-19 patients died. A lot of those infected patients are elderly,” Chavan said.

In Dhule, 16 of 135 people infected died due to Covid-19. Health officials said several patients suffer from ‘silent’ or ‘happy’ hypoxia — a condition where oxygen levels drop below 70 but a patient has no symptoms of low oxygenation in the body. They suddenly turn breathless and become critical, officials said.

State epidemiologist Dr Pradeep Awate said they are inquiring into the “sudden increase in deaths” in three districts: Dhule, Jalgaon and Solapur.

In Solapur, which has reported 62 deaths of 769 Covid-19 positive cases, the mortality rate has been recorded at eight per cent. A sudden spike in deaths in the district, too, was recorded over last one week, with six deaths recorded Saturday. The district recorded three deaths on May 27, seven on May 26, one on May 25, six on May 24, two on May 23 and five on May 22, officials said.

Despite higher numbers of Covid-19 cases, Mumbai, Pune, and Thane have managed to keep the mortality rate below five per cent. Mumbai stands at 3.1, Thane 1.99 and Pune 4.3 per cent.

Radhakishan Pawar, the district health officer in Beed where zero deaths were recorded despite 46 cases, said, “We monitored every migrant who returned home. Those who develop symptoms are tested and shifted to a hospital immediately. All their high-risk contacts are also tested,” he said.