Mumbai: BMC gears up for possible second COVID-19 wave

A swab test being conducted at Kurla East. File pic

With the festive season coming to an end, the BMC is now gearing up to keep COVID-19 numbers under control, so that the city is well prepared if a situation similar to the one on September 18 arises, when the total number of active patients was 34,136 - the maximum till date. The civic body has kept COVID Care Centres and hospitals ready and plans to increase testing and rope in general doctors to keep cases under check.

It further said that the city would be on high alert for the next 45 days to ensure a second wave doesn't kick in.

A crowded market at Kandivli, on November 11. Pic/Satej Shinde

The BMC has asked all the officials and workers concerned to gear up for a possible increase in cases. "Cases in Delhi are increasing. The cycle of infection is of 14 days, but we have put the city on alert for the next 45 days, almost till the end of December," said Suresh Kakani, additional commissioner of BMC.

Lowest test positivity rate

Currently, the test positivity rate of the city is below 10 per cent - the lowest till date. However, the civic body plans to increase testing among shopkeepers, hawkers, bus conductors, who catered to a lot of people during the festive season. Tests would also be conducted among support staff of hospitals like those working in pantries and for catering services and security officers as well, so that the infection doesn't spread among them.

A health worker conducts a swab test at Whistling Woods International institute in Goregaon. File pic

The BMC currently has 29 COVID Care Centres 1 (CCC1) with 13,288 beds for quarantine and 24 COVID Care Centres 2 (CCC2) with 3,242 beds for asymptomatic patients. There are also 21 CCC1 and 14 CCC2 with 4,177 and 2,297 beds respectively, which can be opened up within two days. Another additional 285 CCC1 and 143 CCC2 can be opened up within a week.

"All hospitals with support infrastructure will be kept ready considering the situation we faced on September 18. The city had the maximum number of patients that day," added Kakani.

Infection trend

Requesting anonymity, a BMC official said, "The trend of the infection can be understood through the number of patients visiting general doctors in their areas. So ward officials have asked such doctors to keep them in the loop and update accordingly." The corporation has also arranged for mobile screening vans in slums so that people can get tested near their homes.

7.5%
City's current test positivity rate

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