Dhule first city in Maharashtra to get Covid-free tag

NASHIK: Dhule city has become the first urban centre in Maharashtra to get a Covid-free tag, something only villages in the state have earned thus far. The northern Maharashtra city has a population of 3.75 lakh.
State surveillance officer Dr Pradeep Awate confirmed to TOI that Dhule is the only city in the state where there are no active cases. “In many other cities, the active cases are constantly declining but they are yet to come to nought,” he added.
Dr Vishal Patil, Dhule district Covid-19 coordinator, told TOI that there have been no active cases within the limits of the Dhule Municipal Corporation since August 3.
“The city was one of the Covid hotspots in the district during the second wave of the pandemic. Although there were fewer deaths during the second wave, the total number of people who tested positive in Dhule city was much higher than in the first wave,” said Patil.
During the second wave, Dhule city registered 11,053 positive cases as against 7,116 in the first wave. While 88 Covid patients succumbed in the city during the second wave, there were 173 deaths in the first wave.
Dr Mahesh More, chief medical officer of the Dhule Municipal Corporation, said the city had single-digit active cases for the last few weeks. “But we continue to conduct 300-500 tests daily,” he added.
Overall, there are four active cases in Dhule district, all from Sikri, three of whom are under home isolation.
Overall, the state had 72,810 active cases on Wednesday night. Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Satara Solapur, Ahmednagar districts have more than 5,000 active cases. As against this, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Washim, Amravati and Hingoli districts have less than 100 active cases.