Maharashtra ambulance service receives over 9,000 calls daily as COVID-19 cases surge

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Pune: With the number of fresh COVID-19 cases surging on a daily basis, the Maharashtra Emergency Medical Services in Pune has been receiving over 9,000 calls per day for ambulances.

Control Room Manager Dr Pravin Sadhale said, "We take 9,000-10,000 calls per day, including COVID emergencies and others. Panic has increased now."

The Manager added that around 937 ambulances are placed across Maharashtra. The ambulances have all the safety gears including PPE kits for shifting the patients.

The earlier call flow was for accident and pregnancy cases now the more cases are for COVID-19 related symptoms. 

"We do have other calls also but they are relatively less," Sadhale said.

Several executives are working in the control room to answer the calls around the clock.

Meanwhile, 58,924 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Maharashtra in the last 24 hours, according to the state health ministry on Tuesday. 

As many as 52,412 people recovered in the said period and 351 died. The total case tally reached 38,98,262 while the death toll reached 60,824.