Citing Centre's advice, Fadnavis urges MVA govt to utilise full COVID testing capacity

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis wrote to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday urging for full COVID-19 testing capacity in state to be utilised. He stressed that testing was only way in which vel coronavirus crisis can be addressed. Referring to Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan's letter dated July 1, he mentioned that states had been advised to increase ir testing on a massive scale. reafter, Fadnavis elaborated on low level of COVID-19 testing in Mumbai. Observing that 1,32,245 COVID-19 tests were conducted in June-i.e 4408 tests daily, former Maharashtra CM highlighted that vel coronavirus positivity rate in Mumbai stands at 28%.

In letter, he also pointed out how testing across state was reduced on days after a huge surge in COVID-19 cases was reported. According to him, this might help reduce vel coronavirus figures, but can lead to furr spread of virus. Additionally, Fadnavis critiqued system of declaring deaths from previous period every day. He called on administration to complete death reconciliation process at earliest and demanded declaration of COVID-19 deaths which took place outside hospitals. BJP leader contended that a proper system was of utmost importance considering that  vel coronavirus cases in Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivali, Mira-Bhayandar, Bhiwandi, Panvel and Navi Mumbai grew by 94%, 166%, 461%, 413%, 1470%, 364%, and 190% respectively in June. So far, 1,86,626 COVID-19 cases and 8178 deaths have been reported in state. 

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COVID-19 crisis in India

Currently, re are 6,04,641 confirmed vel coronavirus cases in India out of which 3,59,860 patients have been discharged while 17,834 fatalities have been reported. With 11,881 patients recovering from COVID-19 in last 24 hours, India's recovery rate soared to 59.52%. re are 2,26,947 active COVID-19 cases in country. 

Ministry of Health stated that testing facilities across country had been significantly ramped up with a total of 1065 diagstic labs. This includes 768 labs in government sector and 297 labs in private sector. 2,29,588 tests out of overall 90,56,173 tests were conducted in last 24 hours.

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