Coronavirus Pandemic: BMC to allow screening for COVID-19 at homes

The number of coronavirus cases in Maharashtra has increased to 110 while the people who have been tested positive for COVID-19 have risen to 44 in Mumbai. In India, the number of positive coronavirus cases has soared up to nearly 500.

With the number of increasing cases of the coronavirus or COVID-19, people in Mumbai have lined up outside the Kasturba Hospital to get their tests done. 

As this happens, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided that it will begin screening suspected COVID-19 patients cases at their homes. 

The civic body has allowed private screening agencies to collect the swab of samples and sent them to designated testing laboratories. People can reach out through an exclusive helpline. 

BMC Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi said that the details of the suspected patients who might have contracted coronavirus will be verified first. This will be done before collecting swab samples from their homes and details including symptoms, their travel and medical history will be verified. 

A senior civic official said that a patient will be either sent to the hospital or his/her swabs will be first sent for the test, depending on the risk category of a patient. 

“The patient can be in-home quarantine or in more serious cases, he/she will be asked to move to a designated isolation facility,” the official was quoted by Mumbai Mirror. 

The BMC Commissioner informed that this facility is being initiated to cut down the crow queuing up for tests at Kasturba Hospital. This risk others to be potentially exposed to the coronavirus. Pardeshi informed that around 800 patients were lining up there for tests daily. On Sunday, 471 patients were screened at Kasturba hospital. Of the 471 patients, 136 patients were admitted to the hospital. 

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday afternoon announced a statewide curfew while stating that all district borders in the state will be sealed. 

While addressing the media via web telecast, CM Uddhav Thackeray said that the essential services including grocery shops, medical stores will remain functional.

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