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Next 15 days are crucial for Mumbai: BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal

Explaining the COVID-19 situation in the financial capital, Chahal said the coronavirus load has gone down in the slums. The additional load is coming from rich, super-rich and middle-class residential areas.

Next 15 days are crucial for Mumbai: BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal
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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra government do not want a lockdown at all, said the local body Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal on Monday, February 22.

He also said that the corporation is not planning to impose a lockdown nor any new restrictions but it will ensure strict adherence to current restrictions.

Moreover, the BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal has denied that there is a second wave of coronavirus infection in Mumbai as COVID-19 cases spike in the city. “I would describe the current increase in COVID-19 cases a surge, not a second wave,” Chahal told in an interview with a news channel.

Explaining the COVID-19 situation in the financial capital, Chahal said the coronavirus load has gone down in the slums. The additional load is coming from rich, super-rich and middle-class residential areas.

Around 100 to 200 COVID-19 cases can be attributed to the mega rush in the local trains, he said. The local train services in Mumbai were recently opened for the general public at specific time slots.

Amid rising COVID-19 cases in the city and across the state, BMC commissioner said that Mumbai had 15,000 beds lying empty and 1,000 ICU beds empty,

There are almost 7,000 oxygen beds available, 1,000 ambulances on the dashboard and robust online dashboard of 147 hospitals, all these things are very reassuring especially when only 15 per cent of people are coming symptomatic. However, the next 15 days will be very critical for Mumbai, he added.

The civic body is taking up several steps to control the rising virus infections, he said. The society or buildings having more than five COVID-19 cases would be sealed. Asymptomatic COVID-19 patients will be stamped and strictly tracked to make sure they stay quarantined. Also, institutional quarantine is mandatory for travellers coming from Europe, UK and Brazil, Chahal said.

The BMC chief asked people to follow "COVID-appropriate" behaviour as Mumbaikars might face problems two weeks later if it is not observed.

Meanwhile, the playgrounds, sports complexes, marriage venues need to ensure SOPs are followed and warned of strict action on those failing to do so.

The BMC fined 16,400 people on Sunday, February 21, for not wearing masks and collected INR 33 lakh in fines, he informed.

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