Mumbai's Covid-19 cases breach the 5,000-mark

The surge in Covid-19 cases continues in Mumbai and in MMR. The city reported 5,631 cases on Friday, with an 11.86 per cent test positivity rate (TPR). In the MMR, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Mira Bhayandar showed a sharp increase in cases. The tally of the state also went up to 8,067 cases. The death toll though dropped to a single digit both in Mumbai and state.

A total of 376 samples of Covid-19 infected patients were tested as part of the seventh batch at Kasturba Hospital of the BMC and National Institute of Virology in Pune. Of these, 282 patients are citizens of Mumbai. Out of the total 282 samples, 13 per cent (37 samples) were patients of Delta variant, 32 per cent (89 samples) of Delta derivatives and 55 per cent (156 samples) of Omicron.

A passenger undergoes Covid-19 test on arrival at LTT, Kurla, on Thursday. Pic/Sameer Markande

The figure has risen massively since the last two genome sequencing tests. Omicron was found in only two out of 221 samples tested in the fifth round in the first week of December, and in seven out of 297 samples examined in the sixth round in the second week of December. Most of the patients infected with the Omicron variant had no recent travel history.

Out of the 282 Covid-19 samples examined from the city, 32 were from children aged below 18 years. Four are infected with Delta variant, 12 with Delta derivatives and 16 with Omicron. "Out of 282 Covid-19 cases in the city, 17 needed hospitalisation. Ten patients had taken both the doses of vaccine, three had taken one and four were not vaccinated. Out of the 156 Omicron patients, nine were hospitalised, but without oxygen support," said a BMC official.

These patients are from across the city, except B and C wards. According to the report, Andheri West, Malabar Hill/Tardeo, Bandra West, Wadala and Colaba have more Omicron cases. Maximum population in these wards are concentrated in high-rises.

16
No. of children infected with Omicron

5,631
New cases in city on Friday