19 from Panvel family test positive during Ganpati fest

The officials of Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) went into a tizzy after 19 members of a family tested positive for Covid--19 in Panvel. They all had assembled at one’s home in Panvel to celebrate the Ganpati festival. Now, the civic body is tracing each and every person of the society and others who had come in their contact.

A resident of Durga Prasad Society in Panvel had organized the Ganpati festival at his home and invited his relatives and friends. However, some of them developed symptoms similar to Covid-19 and when underwent for a test, they were found positive. Later, the civic body tested other members and found that 19 members are positive. Now, the civic body is tracing each and every person who visited their house or came close with them.

For the last two to three days, there has been a sudden rise in the number of positive cases of Covid-19 in Panvel city area and the civic administration believes that people have not maintained social distancing and did not follow norms to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. Sudhakar Deshmukh, the municipal commissioner, said that there has been a constant rise in cases of

Covid-19 in Panvel city. “Around 200 to 250 cases are reported every day in Panvel city area. During the Ganpati festival, the number has risen. For the last two to three days, there is a rise in positive cases in the city area,” said Deshmukh. He added that if adequate precautions are not taken, the number of cases might increase. “Assembling at one place during the festival is inviting trouble and people need to understand. Even one Covid-19 positive member of a family can spread to the whole family and this might create trouble for the entire family,” said Deshmukh. The total number of positive cases reached 11,822 in the PMC area. In the last three to four days, around 700 new cases are reported. “A decreasing trend of positive cases were seen last week, but suddenly it shot up,” said another civic official.