Beginning of third wave? 36% rise in sealed buildings in Mumbai

Mumbai was one of the worst affected cities during the first and second waves of coronavirus (COVID-19). Hence, people let out a big sigh of relief when the number of cases in the city started to reduce. As a result, the number of containment zones and the number of sealed buildings in Mumbai has also declined by nearly 98 per cent by the second week of August. While this may have been true two weeks ago, the cases have started to swell once again. 

In just a week, Mumbai has reported a 36 per cent surge in the number of sealed buildings and sealed floors. In view of rising coronavirus cases in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief Iqbal Singh Chahal on Monday, August 30, directed the authorities to strictly enforce the existing restrictive rules to seal the buildings. According to the new SOPs, if a building has more than five patients, then it would be sealed completely.

Furthermore, no one is allowed to enter the buildings which are sealed. Also, anyone inside the building is also barred from leaving. Workers and drivers coming for various works in such buildings will also be barred during the period. The commissioner directed the police to maintain security at the entrances of all the sealed buildings so that the preventive measures could be implemented more effectively.

As per the protocol laid by BMC, a floor is sealed if one or less than five cases are reported from that floor of a building. Further, an entire building is sealed if five or more cases are found in it.

As of August 22, there were 22 sealed buildings and 1,089 sealed floors in Mumbai as per the BMC data. This has increased multiple folds now. The same data now reveals that as of August 28, Mumbai had 30 sealed buildings and 1,107 sealed floors.

Over the past few days, at least seven buildings were sealed in the western suburbs including some in Kandivali and two at Pali Hill in Bandra; each of the buildings reported more than five cases.

In regards to these buildings, BMC Chief Chahal is of the opinion that all residents in such buildings should be tested on priority. He has also instructed that the contract tracing efforts should be strengthened in the coming days.