Coronavirus: Positive Cases In Maharashtra Go Past 6800, State Gets Nod For Plasma Therapy

Mumbai: Maharashtra is inching towards the 7000 mark with the total number of coronavirus cases in the state climbing to 6817 on Friday. 18 fresh COVID-19 deaths and 394 new Coronavirus cases were reported from Maharashtra on Friday. Mumbai alone contributed to more than 4500 cases in the overall count of the state. On Friday 357 new COVID-19 positive cases were reported from Mumbai taking the city's tally past 4500.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday lent its approval to pool testing and plasma therapy for the treatment of patients affected by the COVID-19 virus in Maharashtra. The state Health Minister, Rajesh Tope told media persons on Friday that the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan gave his approval to pool testing and plasma therapy in the state during the course of a video conference with health ministers and secretaries of all states. In the case of pool sample tests, if the results return positive, then individual samples are taken up for testing. Full testing involves fewer test kits and increases testing capacity.

Under the technique of plasma therapy which has been attempted in Delhi as well, transfusion of plasma from recovered patients is carried out to critically ill patients.

A cause of concern for the authorities has been the high mortality rate in Maharashtra. This is driven mainly by Mumbai but is said to be high in the age group of 67 to 70, while in younger people, the recovery rate is reported to be higher.

While Mumbai and Pune have been hotspots and Malegaon has now emerged as another hotspot. Slum clusters in Mumbai have added to the problem and shifting people from these places to stadiums and other facilities is a challenging task for the authorities.