Worli-Koliwada can be a model for COVID-19 containment: Central Team lauds State government

A five-member inter-ministerial central team (IMCT) is in Mumbai to assess the COVID-19 situation. During their assessment, the team said that Worli-Koliwada can become a model for the rest of the country in containing the virus outbreak.

Commending the efforts by the state government in containing the pandemic, the Central Team said that the doubling rate of patients in the State has increased. Currently, the doubling rate in the state is 6.3 days whereas, in Mumbai, it is 4.3 days.

What is Doubling Rate?

Doubling rate is the number of cases doubled in a defined amount of time. Say, if there are 50 cases on Day-1, and the doubling period is five days, then on Day-6 there will be approximately 100 cases, and on Day-11 (another five days later), there will be 200 cases, and so on. 

Meanwhile, the five-member team visited Kasturba Hospital, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters along with the G-South ward. The Central team led by the additional secretary, Manoj Joshi, on Tuesday visited the slum pockets of Worli Koliwada and Jijamata Nagar, which have been termed as COVID-19 hotspots.

As of April 17, the G-South ward was the worst-affected BMC ward with 389 cases. After which, the BMC had stopped issuing the ward-wise break-up of positive cases across Mumbai. It is worth noting that State Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray is an MLA from Worli constituency.

As per a press release issued by the chief minister's office (CMO), Joshi stated that Worli-Koliwada can serve as the example of a coronavirus-free zone in the country and if the work done in the area is followed in other containment zones, it will help break the virus chain.

Joshi spoke at length with CM Uddhav Thackeray, BMC Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi, and Police Commissioner Parambir Singh on the preparedness of the administration to handle the outbreak.

The team emphasised on the implementation of lockdown measures, the supply of essential commodities, adherence to social distancing among other points. The team has also asked BMC to ensure an adequate supply of oxygen cylinders and ventilators in the civic body and government-run hospitals.