With an aim to ease the process of testing patients that may have COVID-19 and to increase the precautionary measures, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started to categorise travellers arriving in Mumbai. Through this move, BMC is trying to earmark who needs to be quarantined at the hospital and who needs to be isolated at home, the move has been implemented by the Health Department.
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BMC's Deputy Executive Health officer Dr. Daksha Shah explained that people coming from affected countries and those showing symptoms like fever, cough and cold are being classified as Category A and sent directly for isolation and testing to the Kasturba Hospital. Those with no symptoms but having co-morbid conditions and are senior citizens are classified as Category B, while those with a travel history and no symptoms are Category C.
Their major concern is the category B patients who are old and high risk. The civic authorities are admitting Category B patients to the quarantine facility and taking their swabs.
The Category C people are screened and home quarantined after necessary counselling. These people in home quarantine are supposed to be that way for next 14 days. Teams at ward level follow up with them till the end of their home quarantine period.
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Currently there are two testing centres at Kasturba Hospital in Chinchpokli and King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital in Parel. The BMC has shut down public places like swimming pools, theatres, gym, parks, institutes etc. It is also planning to start treatment/quarantine centres at Cooper Hospital in Juhu and Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivali.
Additionally, 24 health teams consisting of six members are deployed at every ward to monitor patients who may show symptoms of Coronavirus. Two teams will be deployed at the international airport to monitor the situation around the clock. State Health Minister Rajesh Tope stated that another laboratory will be set up at JJ Hospital.