Mumbai recorded 1,372 cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, the third-highest jump in a single day, pushing its tally to 24,118. The city also recorded 41 deaths, the second-highest rise, taking the death toll to 841.
The number of cases and deaths have rapidly increased this month. The city now had contributed to nearly 61% of the cases and 60% of the deaths reported in Maharashtra.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), however, has maintained that Mumbai is not in the stage of community transmission yet. “The positive cases we are recording are mostly coming from containment zones and quarantine facilities. We are still in the stage of local transmission,” additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani said.
Of the total number of cases in the city, 17,057 — nearly 71% — have been reported this month. The death toll also saw a sharp rise in May, with the city losing an average of 27 people every day to the infection.
Of the deaths reported on Wednesday, 29 patients were men and 12 were women. Of these, 32 patients had co-morbidities.
Besides, 350 patients were discharged from hospitals. A total of 6,466 patients have recovered and gone home so far.
25 positive in Dharavi
Dharavi reported 25 new cases on Wednesday, pushing the total in the area to 1,378. Asia’s largest slum now has more cases than many Indian cities.
Most of the new cases were from Matunga labour camp, which is a COVID-19 hotspot. Of the 1,353 cases for which data is available, 525 have been discharged so far, which means Dharavi’s recovery rate stands at 39%. With 56 deaths, its death rate is 4.1% Until recently, M East ward had the highest death rate in Mumbai around 10%, much higher than Dharavi.
Mahim also reported 15 new cases, primarily owing to cases in Mahim Police Colony. The area now has 249 cases. Dadar reported 11 new cases, taking its count to 187. Both Dadar and Mahim fall under the same G North ward as Dharavi. In Mahim, 76 people have been discharged so far, while in Dadar, the figure is 86.
BMC surveys
The BMC has started a door-to-door survey in slum areas to refer suspected patients to a nearby health facility. So far, over 58 lakh households have been surveyed, from which 7,447 people with influenza-like symptoms have been referred.
In a survey of senior citizens, health workers are reaching out to senior citizens and checking their blood oxygen levels. Civic officials said more than 1.68 lakh senior citizens have been screened, and of them 1,279 were found to have low oxygen level and referred to nearby hospitals and dispensaries. In 357 screening camps held by the BMC in slums, 5,188 swabs were taken, of which 683 returned positive. These patients were immediately quarantined.
80% pvt. hospital beds
Mr. Kakani said the State has announced to take over 80% beds in private hospitals. “The rates are being worked out and we will soon get a comprehensive notification,” he said. The additional beds will be made available to COVID-19 as well as non-COVID-19 patients through the government. He said a notification is mostly likely to be issued on Thursday.
43 cases in Navi Mumbai
Navi Mumbai recorded 43 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, taking its tally to 1364. Six deaths were also reported, taking the death toll under the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation to 45.
Of the six deaths, three are related to the APMC market — a 52-year-old woman from Turbhe who worked at the masala market, a 65-year-old from Koparkhairane who worked as a gatekeeper at the market, and 58-year-old from Koparkhairane who worked at the grain market.
Meanwhile 22 people recovered on Wednesday, taking the total number of recoveries to 532.
Of the cases reported on Wednesday, 13 were from Koparkhairane, nine from Nerul, eight from Turbhe, six from Ghansoli, three from Belapur, two from Vashi and one each from Airoli and Digha.
Meanwhile, Ulhasnagar Municipal Commissioner Sudhakar Deshmukh was transferred as the Panvel civic chief, replacing Ganesh Deshmukh. “I will continue the work Ganesh Desgmukh did and try to make Panvel free of coronavirus,” Mr. Sudhakar Deshmukh said.
In Panvel, 16 cases were reported, of which eight were from Kamothe, four from Kalamboli, three from New Panvel and one from Taloja, taking its total to 305. Two deaths were reported, taking the toll to 12. A 50-year-old woman from Kamothe and a 63-year-old woman from Taloja with co-morbid conditions were reported to have died. Of the total positive cases, 19 recovered on Wednesday, taking the total recoveries to 151.
(Inputs from Tanvi Deshpande, Raina Assainar)
