Mumbai recorded 1,467 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, taking its cumulative number of cases to 35,485. Another 38 fatalities took the death toll to 1,135. Nearly 60% of the cases and 57% of the deaths in Maharashtra have been reported from the city.
Of the latest victims, 27 were men and 11 were women, while 24 patients had co-morbid conditions. The city’s COVID-19 death rate now stands at 3.1%. The recovery rate has touched 28%, with 9,817 patients having gone home till date. On Thursday, 763 patients were discharged.
Dharavi, one of the hotspots in the city, has reported 36 new cases, pushing its case tally to 1,675. New cases were reported from Kumbharwada, Dharavi Koliwada, Muslim Nagar, Mukund Nagar and Matunga Labour Camp, which have previously reported high numbers. Cases were also reported from newer parts of Dharavi, including Krishna Menon Marg, Kamla Nagar and Fatimabai chawl. Dharavi has reported 61 deaths so far.
Meanwhile, Mahim has reported 426 cases so far, including nine deaths. Dadar has reported 271 cases so far. In both Dadar and Mahim, a large number of patients are healthcare workers living in these areas. Dadar and Mahim fall under the same G North ward as Dharavi. Between May 20 and 27, cases in G North ward have increased at a rate of 3.6%. So far, 617 people have been discharged from the ward.
Meanwhile, a fireman from Goregaon fire station became the second employee of the Mumbai Fire Brigade to die of COVID-19. So far, 41 staffers have tested positive, of whom four are in the intensive care unit (ICU), three have been discharged and 14 have been quarantined. Another fireman died at JJ Hospital earlier.
Coding beds
Experts have predicted a surge in cases once the lockdown is lifted. With the State yet to clarify the manner in which restrictions will be relaxed, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is rushing to streamline its 1916 helpline to speed up allocation of beds.
The database of beds in public and private hospitals has been integrated, but most public hospitals are still coding their beds to be able to feed data in the software. The helpline is being managed by about 15 medical interns and two doctors.
The helpline has also been getting frantic calls from asymptomatic contacts of patients who have not been tested. Mumbai has carried out 1,85,701 tests so far. On Thursday, 3,948 tests were carried out. The positivity rate now stands at 19%.
ICU bed shortage
Data provided by the BMC on Thursday showed that 99% of the city’s 645 ICU beds were occupied. In dedicated COVID-19 hospitals, 96% of the 6,099 beds were occupied. With an average of 1,000 people testing positive every day, and an estimated 5% of the patients needing critical care beds, the city’s requirement of ICU beds is much more. Doctors said patients requiring critical care are also taking a long time to recover, and thus beds remain occupied for more than seven days.
78 cases in Navi Mumbai
The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) on Thursday reported 78 new cases, two deaths and 41 recoveries. With a total 881 recoveries out of 1,931 cases, the city has a recovery rate of 45% and a 3% mortality rate. Most of the cases were reported in Turbhe ward (23), followed by 13 in Belapur, 11 each in Nerul and Airoli, eight in Koparkhairane, seven in Vashi and four in Ghansoli.
Both deaths reported were from Turbhe: a 50-year-old woman from Turbhe and a 47-year-old from Sector 5 in Sanpada. The total deaths under the NMMC are now 61. Currently 989 patients are under treatment. Swab test on a total of 11040 have been conducted of which 8134 were found negative and 974 reports are pending.
Panvel Municipal Corporation reported 29 cases, taking its total to 448. With two deaths, the toll is now 21. On Thursday, 20 people recovered, taking the total number of recovered patients to 273. Of the cases reported on Thursday, 12 were from Kamothe, seven from Kalamboli, five from Kharghar, three from Panvel and two from New Panvel. Panvel rural has reported 12 new cases, taking its total to 332, of whom seven have died and 244 have recovered. Nine people from Panvel rural recovered on Thursday, while no deaths were reported.
(Inputs from Tanvi Deshpande, Raina Assainar)
