The Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) in Thane district has reported its first COVID-19 fatality with a woman succumbing to the virus while undergoing treatment at a hospital. Dr Deepa Shukla, Medical Health Officer in-charge of KDMC's Medical Health Department, confirmed the death. She said four COVID-19 infected patients were detected within the municipal limits after the coronavirus cases saw a spike in parts of Maharashtra, including adjoining Mumbai.
Of these, one woman died, another patient with mild symptoms was discharged after treatment, a third is undergoing treatment in a private hospital, and the fourth has been transferred to Chhatrapati Shivaji Hospital in Kalwa for further care, Shukla informed. Despite the emergence of cases, Shukla urged citizens not to panic and appealed for adherence to health precautions.
The Medical Health Department advised individuals with co-morbidities and the elderly to avoid crowded, enclosed places and prioritize mask usage in public. Maintaining hand hygiene, avoiding public spitting, and using handkerchiefs or similar items while sneezing or coughing are also emphasized.
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Citizens experiencing cold, cough, body ache, sore throat, or breathing difficulties are advised to consult a doctor immediately and undergo priority COVID-19 testing, it said. Avoiding contact with others suffering from respiratory disorders is also recommended. The KDMC has prepared isolation rooms with ventilation facilities at Bai Rukminibai Hospital in Kalyan and Shastri Nagar Hospital in Dombivali, both offering tongue tests for coronavirus, said the department.
Meanwhile, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) Public Relations Officer (PRO) released an official update, informing about the detection of 36 COVID-19 patients so far with one death in the city. Currently, nine patients are hospitalized in stable condition, and 20 patients are in home quarantine, it said.