Mumbai: Covid-19 cases falling, but don’t let your masks go yet

A passenger being tested for Covid at Dadar station. File pic

The city has seen a huge drop in active Covid-19 caseload in the past 10 days, official figures showed on Friday. From June 27 to July 7, there has been a decline of 59 per cent in currently infected people. The downward trend was also seen in hospitalisations and patients needing oxygen support.

Dr Prashant Chhajed, director at Lung Care and Sleep Centre, said, "I have seen a downfall in the number of diagnosed cases in the past two weeks. But we are still diagnosing patients, and many of them are diagnosed with self-test kits. Although the number is going down, we need to be careful. Anybody with symptoms of Covid-19 should get tested. People at high risk of contracting infection, like those with low immunity due to comorbidities, need to be extra careful. We also have to continue following the Covid-appropriate behaviour."

According to the BMC data on 27 June, there were 11,988 active cases in the city and the figure dropped to 4,875 on 7 July. The hospitalisation figure went down by 33 per cent, and there was a 33 per cent drop in the number of patients needing oxygen support.

Dr Kedar Toraskar, critical care expert at Wockhardt Hospitals, said, "It is too early to predict anything or say that Covid-19 cases are declining. You never know when the numbers will bounce back. All we have to do is follow Covid-appropriate behaviour, like wearing a mask, washing hands and avoiding crowded, particularly closed places as much as possible. Though there is one good trend and i.e., patients have mild symptoms and the recovery is good."

Dr Akash Khobragade, superintendent of St George Hospital, which is also a referral hospital for Covid-19, said, "There is a downfall in cases, and there are fluctuations as well. We only have 14 patients and none of them are in ICU or on oxygen support. All are stable. Patients are usually recovering in four-five days. Looking at the current trend, it seems that cases will fluctuate further."

Dr Avinash Supe, head of the state Covid-19 death audit committee, said, "The downfall in Covid-19 cases has begun in Mumbai. But it will take some time for the death figure to come down."

Drop of over 7,000 active cases in 11 days
Status of patients June 27 July 7
Active cases 11,988 4,875
Hospitalised 618 416
On oxygen 70 47