22 COVID-19 patients in Sangli cured: Maha minister

Mumbai, Apr 10 () Maharashtra Water ResourcesMinister Jayant Patil on Friday claimed that 22 out of 26COVID-19 patients in Sangli district were cured of theinfection and praised the local administration and citizensfor their efforts.

Patil, who is also Sangli's Guardian Minister, said 25persons had earlier tested positive for coronavirus inIslampur, while one COVID-19 patient was found in Wadgaon inthe district.

Of the 26 COVID-19 patients in the district, 22 hadtested negative for the infection, following treatment, hesaid.

A three-pronged approach of isolation, clusteridentification and social distancing was adopted in Islampurto contain the spread, he said, calling it the "Islampurpattern" to defeat the pandemic.

The state NCP president also lavished praise on thepeople of Islampur and Sangli for ensuring that theexperiment of isolation in the district was a "100 per centsuccess".

"I am happy to inform that we have been able tocontrol the spread of coronavirus with the cooperation ofgovernment officials, staffers and people. The families whowere infected by coronavirus, are now completely cured," theminister said in a Facebook post.

Patil said he was relieved to some extent andconfident that the virus will not spread in the district.

"But the lockdown is still in force and people mustobserve it completely," the minister said.

Patil also urged people of the state to followthe government's orders and stay home to defeat the deadlydisease. ENMARU ARU