<span style="color: #222222;">In a relief for Maharashtra, the State Health Minister Rajesh Tope today said that the number of COVID-19 infected patients has decreased while the recovery rate has increased in the state.</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;">Addressing a press conference in Mumbai today, he said, 2.80 lakh people are being tested daily in the state and there has been no shortage in testing.</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;">Meanwhile, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that more and more stress is being given on creating health facilities to thwart the possible third, fourth and fifth wave of Covid.</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;">Mr Thackeray said that it is planned to increase the oxygen production to 1500 metric tonne in the state.</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;">He informed that bed capacity will be ramped up and COVID centres will also be increased.</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;">AIR Correspondent reports, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope today said that the positivity rate in the state has dropped from 27 per cent to 22 per cent .</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;">He said that for the first time in the last three weeks, the number of discharged patients has increased in the state.</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;">Also, he said at 84.07 per cent , the state's recovery rate is higher than the country's average recovery rate which is 81 per cent.</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;">Tope said out of the total 36 districts of Maharashtra, 12 districts are witnessing a sharp decline in the number of patients.</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;">However, it is still increasing in 24 districts and the target is to reduce the number of cases in these districts too.</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;">Meanwhile, amid increasing demand for medical oxygen in Maharashtra, State Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte has written to Union Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, asking to increase the present allocation of oxygen supply of the state by at least 200 metric tonnes.</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;">He has urged the Union Cabinet Secretary to pay personal attention to the immediate supply of oxygen to the state from nearby and convenient places, keeping in view the rapid rise in covid-19 infection in 16 districts of the state.</span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;"><br />'' </span><span style="color: #222222;">Kunte has also requested the centre to allocate at least 10 Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) tankers to Maharashtra to enable the state to lift Government of India (GoI) allocated Liquid Medical Oxygen quota from Steel Plant at Angul in Odisha via RoRo.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Meanwhile, today Maharashtra received 9 lakh doses of Covishield to vaccinate people over the age of 45 years.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The health minister said, out of a total of 3.5 crore people over the age of 45, the state has vaccinated 1.65 crore people. </span><br />''  <br />