Coronavirus Pandemic: BMC is all set to try cluster containment

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is mooting on a cluster containment strategy to deal with the COVID-19 crisis. With the number of cases rising in parts of Kurla, Chunabhatti and Saki Naka, all of which fall under the L ward, the civic officials are planning on sealing large areas around containment zones in such parts of the ward to curb cluster spread.

The resident in these sealed clusters will not be allowed to leave and outsiders will be prohibited from entering till every person in the cluster is tested for COVID-19. Till Tuesday evening, the total number of cases reported from L-ward was 391, including 30 deaths.

As per BMC, 80 per cent of the COVID-19 patients in the ward are being traced from slum pockets and therefore, they are mooting on the plan. A TOI report pointed out that the BMC thought the viral spread in the slum pockets is proving to be quick “and beyond a point, unmanageable”. 

By April 15, 92 cases had been recorded from L-ward. The tally reached 240 on April 21, and two days later, on April 23, it increased to 312.

Ward officer Manish Walunju told TOI, “The rapid increase in cases has prompted us to mark out large clusters geographically. Until everyone is screened, no one will be allowed to leave a cluster.” 

Walunju also said that the BMC has started testing from the Ashok Nagar cluster (Saki Naka), which has a population of 5,000. Similarly, the civic body will then test residents in three selected clusters, Kaju Pada in Saki Naka, Sandesh Nagar in Kurla and Qureshi Nagar in Chunabhatti.

A shutdown has already been imposed in Kurla, Chembur, and Chunabhatti. In a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus, Shiv Sena MLA from Kurla Constituency, Mangesh Kudalkar has announced that the Kurla, Chembur, and Chunabhatti area will remain under total shut down till May 3.

Meanwhile, the NCP corporator from Kurla, Dr Saeeda Khan attributes the spike in the number of cases in L-ward to increased screening.

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