Mumbai: Can set up infra to fight Covid-19 in 15 days, says BMC

According to the BMC, 4,000 metric tonnes of medical oxygen is in stock. File pic

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has stated that it can set up the required medical infrastructure within 15 days should COVID-19 cases rise. The civic body has asked doctors who treated COVID in the past to stay on their toes.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Sanjeev Kumar said, "We have 4,000 doctors, 7,500 nurses and 4,500 paramedical staff that are trained to handle COVID-19. At present, everything is under control. We are all monitoring the situation. All the departments concerned have received instructions."

He added, "We can install all the medical infrastructure, including jumbo COVID centres. We even have the capacity to test 1.5 lakh samples per day."

Also Read: Mumbai: Only 169 people self-tested for Covid-19 this month

According to Kumar, 4,000 metric tonnes of medical oxygen is in stock. "During the second wave, the daily need for oxygen was 230 metric tonnes. Also, 772 ICU beds and 863 ventilators can be reserved for COVID patients," he stated.

Of the 92 lakh eligible beneficiaries in Mumbai, only 15 per cent have taken the booster shot. On the other hand, only 9,000 doses of Covaxin are available with BMC while Covishield and Corbovax are out of stock.

"The BMC has already requested the state government for supply," an official stated.

Meanwhile, the state on Friday reported 18 COVID cases, including five from Mumbai. No death was reported from Thursday. Till now, 97,805 people have arrived at the airport out of which 1,926 have undergone RT-PCR tests, out of which four are positive.