As many as 28 COVID-19 patients died in Mumbai on Tuesday, the highest in a day so far, taking the city's death toll to 556. By contrast, 426 new cases were recorded, the lowest this month, nudging the city’s cases close to 15,000 mark (14,947).
The 28 casualties consist of 17 men and 11 women. Of these, 17 patients had underlying ailments like diabetes, hypertension, and asthma. While four patients who succumbed were below 40 years, 14 were between 40 and 60 years, and 10 were above 60 years. The city’s case-fatality rate currently stands at 3.7%. On Tuesday, 203 patients were discharged after recovery. Till date, more than 3,300 people have been discharged from Mumbai’s hospitals and the recovery rate is 22%.
“We have been taking several measures to stabilise the patients,” said additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani, adding two new drugs are being tried in the hospitals and a CT scan of patients is being done for early intervention.
On Tuesday, Seven Hills Hospital discharged its 1,000th patient. The hospital had received its first COVID-19 patient on April 1.
Psoriasis drug trial
The civic-run Nair Hospital on Monday started the trial with Biocon’s psoriasis drug called Itolizumab. Hospital dean Dr. Mohan Joshi said two patients have been put on the drug, which has been given free of cost to the civic body. The trial first began at Parel’s KEM Hospital where one patient has received the drug.
Additionally, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has purchased Roche’s injection tocilizumab marketed by Cipla, that has shown a good outcome in some critical patients. A vial of the drug, mainly prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis, costs over ₹40,000 but the civic body is getting it at subsidised rates. So far, nearly 40 patients admitted to Nair, Sion, KEM and Seven Hills Hospitals have received the injection.
Civic officials said the drug has shown encouraging results in 30 patients, including 14 who have recovered and have been discharged. The medicine prevented patients from going on ventilator support and has fastened the recovery. Three patients from Dharavi have received this drug of whom a 38-year-old man was discharged from Nair Hospital recently.
Meanwhile, new municipal commissioner IS Chahal has delegated responsibilities among eight IAS officers for the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Kakani continues to have the most important role — managing all hospitals and medical colleges — while Ashwini Bhide, earlier on deputation and now given regular appointment as additional municipal commissioner, will head the war room and contact tracing. Manisha Mhaiskar, on special duty, will head augmentation of COVID-19 beds in the city and decongestion of hospitals. Newly appointed additional commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal will not only look at food distribution but also the phased easing of lockdown measures.
Absenteeism
Mayor Kishori Pednekar on Tuesday held a review meeting with deans of all municipal hospitals. In the meeting, the Mayor ordered that hospital staffers who stay absent repeatedly should be issued a notice. Besides, on the issue of COVID-19 patients’ bodies lying idle in wards, she demanded to know the list of police stations that are not coordinating with the BMC for handing over bodies. The Mayor will hold a meeting with the Police Commissioner if required.
93-year-old beats virus
A 93-year-old woman from Mazgoan was discharged from Saifee Hospital a fortnight ago. She is probably the city’s oldest patient to go home after beating COVID-19. The woman was admitted on April 17 and remained hospitalised for nearly 12 days. Doctors said the senior citizen had multiple chronic health conditions and her recovery should give hope to many other patients to fight the disease.
77 cases in Navi Mumbai
The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) on Tuesday reported 77 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 856, and one death. The casualty was of a 58-year-old constable attached to Deonar police station.
The policeman, a resident of Sector 20, Turbhe, had reported to work till May 4, and was a diabetic. He was admitted to Vashi General Hospital on May 5 and his report came positive on May 7. Till now, 19 deaths have been reported under the NMMC.
Of the 77 positive cases, Turbhe reported 29, Koparkhairane 18, Nerul 14, Belapur five, Airoli six, and one in Ghansoli. Of the 7,157 samples tested so far, 4,857 have been found negative and 1,444 reports are pending.
Municipal Commissioner Annasaheb Misal said that on Monday, the civic body had recorded the highest single-day positive cases at 105. “Even then, the good news is 171 people have recovered so far. Our mortality rate is 2.18% while that of the State is above 3. We can bring down the mortality rate if every person with co-morbidities and above 60 years is well taken care of by the family. If anyone has to travel to work, they need to maintain physical distancing at home after coming back,” Mr. Misal said.
As per the new discharge policy, Mr. Misal said people found positive with no symptoms would be discharged in 10 days. “If they have mild symptoms but after seven days of treatment, they do not show any symptom for three consecutive days, they will be discharged too.” He, however, said that a person with co-morbidities would be discharged only after full recovery.
In Navi Mumbai, 60% of positive patients are asymptomatic, while 20% are with mild symptoms, and the rest 20% are with severe symptoms, who are mostly senior citizens, Mr. Misal said. “As the APMC market is shut as a precaution, around 10 teams of health officials are sanitising the whole market and testing the remaining workers and traders,” he said. The NMMC had 153 containment zones which has now come down to 104.
The Panvel Municipal Corporation reported nine new cases on Tuesday, taking the total number to 189. Of the 189, seven have died and 86 have recovered. Panvel rural recorded four fresh cases, making a total of 67, while five new cases were found in Uran, taking the tally to 61.
( With inputs from Raina Assainar )
