Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday said while the 54% vaccination turnout across Maharashtra on Tuesday was not up to the mark, it was not particularly unsatisfactory. He clarified that there was a technical problem with the Co-WIN app, which was being rectified.
While admitting that a number of beneficiaries were confused about taking the vaccine, Mr. Tope reiterated that the two vaccines — Covishield and Covaxin — were safe and had been approved by the Drug Control Authority, besides being cleared by scientists.
Mr. Tope said, “These two vaccines are completely safe. It is wrong to make assumptions about their adverse effects. No adverse problems have been witnessed so far among beneficiaries who have taken the vaccine. Yet, many beneficiaries are not turning up to receive the vaccine and are instead waiting to see the reaction on others.”
The minister said the government would be counselling beneficiaries with proper information to dispel fears about getting inoculated. Mr. Tope said he would be sending video messages about the vaccines to healthcare workers who had registered for the drive.
On the low turnout on Tuesday, Mr. Tope further said, “Don’t go by percentages. The vaccination drive will be held four days a week now: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The numbers will gradually rise.”
Maharashtra on Wednesday yet again recorded more recoveries than fresh COVID-19 cases, with 4,589 patients being discharged as opposed to 3,015 new cases. Active cases have further declined to 46,769, while the total case tally stands at 19,97,992. With 59 fatalities, the death toll has climbed to 50,582. Cumulative recoveries stand at 18,99,428. The State’s recovery rate has touched 95.02%, while the case fatality rate is 2.53%.
501 cases in Mumbai
Pune reported nearly 600 new cases to take its total case tally to 3,83,428. Five deaths saw the total death toll rise to 7,878. As per district administration figures, the district’s active case tally has now dipped below the 5,000 mark, standing at 4,947. The district’s recovery rate is 96.30%. Pune city currently has a little over 2,000 cases. Mumbai reported 501 new cases to take its total case tally to 3,04,126, of which just 6,656 are active. Nine fatalities saw the city’s death toll reach 11,268.
Nagpur district in Vidarbha reported nearly 300 new cases, taking the district’s total case tally to 1,32,801. of which 4,200 are active. A single death saw the death toll reach 3,313. In western Maharashtra, Satara reported a single death, while 85 fresh cases saw the total case tally rise to 55,756, of which just 755 are active. Its death toll stands at 1797.
Neighbouring Sangli reported just 16 cases and no deaths as well as the district’s total cases reached 50,654, of which just 489 are active. Its death toll stands at 1,778. Kolhapur reported 18 cases and no deaths as its total case tally reached 49,007, of which 163 are active. The death toll stands at 1,670.
In north Maharashtra, Nashik district reported 295 cases and a single fatality as its total case tally reached 119,524, of which 1,228 are active. Its death toll stands at 1,970. Jalgaon reported 42 new cases and a single death as its total case tally reached 57,088, of which only 523 are active, while its death toll stands at 1,469.
62,000 samples tested
“Of 1,39,57,469 laboratory samples tested so far, 19,97,992 (with the case positivity rate down to 14.31%) have returned positive. Over 62,000 samples were tested in the last 24 hours,” State Surveillance Officer Dr. Pradeep Awate said.
A total of 2,18,325 people across the State are in home quarantine and 2,230 are in institutional quarantine.
