With highest jump yet, city breaches 4,000-mark

With 522 new cases and six deaths, Mumbai continues to be a problem zone; civic body keeps mum on details of victims

Awaiting their turn: Residents queue up at a private doctor’s clinic at Mukund Nagar in Dharavi, which is one of the hotspots in the city where cases are rising rapidly.

With 522 new COVID-19 cases, Mumbai recorded the highest jump on Thursday, pushing the tally to 4,205. The city also recorded six more deaths, taking the death toll to 167.

With nearly 65% of the State’s cases and 59% of the deaths being reported from the city alone, it continues to be a problem zone and among the five hotspots in the State where the number of cases keep multiplying.

State health officials clarified that the spurt was due to positive reports since April 13, which were included on Thursday. The civic body did not disclose the details of the deceased such as their age and co-morbidities, for the second consecutive day. News about the death of an Unani practitioner from Govandi, who had tested positive, surfaced on Thursday. The 37-year-old was admitted to SL Raheja Hospital where he died at 2 a.m.

‘No underlying condition’

“He had no underlying condition. He was healthy, played cricket, followed a good diet and never smoked or drank alcohol. We are all in a state of shock,” said the deceased’s brother, adding that the civic body carried out the last rites following infection control protocol.

The nursing home where the deceased practised and his residential building have been contained. His wife and seven-year-old son could not see him since he was taken to the hospital and admitted in the isolation facility. Two other alternative medicine practitioners from Govandi have tested positive and M East ward, largely a slum pocket, has recorded 166 positive cases so far.

Meanwhile, G South ward, which consists of Worli and Prabhadevi areas, crossed the 500-mark, the tally standing at 507 cases on Wednesday as against 487 a day earlier. So far, 425 people have recovered and been discharged in the city.

Spurt in MMR

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region has seen a spurt in cases over the past few days. As on Thursday, Thane had recorded 214 cases and four deaths, Vasai-Virar had 109 cases and three deaths, Kalyan-Dombivali had 124 cases and three deaths, and Mira-Bhayandar had 116 cases and two deaths.