As the Covid-19 positivity rate in Maharashtra's Kolhapur district remaining higher, state deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Monday directed the administration to ramp up testing and warned residents against lowering their guard. Pawar and state Health Minister Rajesh Tope conducted a review meeting of the pandemic situation in the western Maharashtra district.

"In the first wave of the pandemic, the district administration did a commendable job by controlling the infection. However, the positivity rate in the district in the current second wave is still at the higher side. The review meeting discussed measures like the requirement of drugs etc to check the transmission," Pawar told reporters.