BMC to screen 22,000 houses for Covid-19

People arrive at the CSMIA. Currently, there is no process in place to screen passengers. File pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

In view of the rising COVID-19 cases in some states, including Maharashtra, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation now plans to visit the around 22,000 homes that were found locked during its survey amid lockdown last year, in a bid to stop the spread of the disease. Community health workers have been tasked with the job.

This decision comes on the heels of the Central government's directions to states such as Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala as well as Maharashtra, to be more vigilant, especially as all restrictions have now been removed.
With the threat of a fourth wave looming and even those with vaccines getting infected, BMC has upped its efforts to arrest the spread without imposing restrictions.

A civic official said, "During the lockdown, many migrant labourers had gone to their hometowns. Once the waves receded and restrictions were eased, many of them returned. This cycle continued from the first wave to the third wave. During all three waves, the BMC health department had started a screening campaign in every ward. However, as screening and testing at stations have also stopped now and people are still returning to the city, we will take up this task."

Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani said, "During last year's survey, more than 22,000 houses were found closed in slum areas. Now our ward-level community health workers will visit these houses and check the health conditions of the residents. If any symptom of COVID-19 is found, we will test them. The list of the closed houses is already with our community health workers." Officials estimate the population at these homes to be around 1 lakh.

An official from BMC's health department said, "Our health workers will visit the houses and collect basic information such as the total number of the people residing in the house, travel history, health status, if they ever contracted COVID or not, whether they have taken the vaccine and others. During the visit, if anyone shows symptoms of COVID, we will test them immediately and decide on the next course of action accordingly. In case of a positive test report, we will start treating the infected person while the other members of the family will be put in quarantine at home. And in case of space crunch, they will be admitted to BMC quarantine centres."

Dr Avinash Supe, head of the COVID-19 death review committee, said, "Though there is no drastic surge in cases, the BMC still needs to be vigilant. As restrictions have been lifted, the movement of people has increased in the city. People are frequently going in and out of the city and state. So, it has become necessary to keep watch."

1 Lakh
Estimated population at these homes, as per officials