The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will refocus its COVID-19 containment efforts on slums, where the spread of the infection has been brought under control.
Amid the fear of second wave post-Diwali, the BMC said that it is preparing to handle a surge of 40,000 active cases in the city. Despite the current dip in recorded cases, the civic body ensured that the health infrastructure set up for coronavirus will not be deactivated.
In a meeting undertaken by guardian minister Aaditya Thackeray on November 18, it was decided that along with a focus on high-rises, there will be an increased focus on slums. Taking it to Twitter, Thackeray wrote, “We discussed multiple scenarios, our preparations to control an expected surge in COVID-19 cases in a review meeting. Post the festival season and a lot of reverse migration going on, we must ramp up our surveillance, awareness and screening.”
According to latest reports, Mumbai’s Dharavi set an example for the world by effectively tackling the COVID-19 crisis. From over two dozen cases daily, Asia’s largest slum reduced the number of cases recorded daily to almost single digits. A status check on the area on November 19, revealed, the momentum undertaken by the local civic body officials and private doctors has not slackened.
Areas like Borivli, Kandivli, Malad and Andheri were also reviewed at the meeting. Testing figures, which reduced in November, will be increased to around 12,000 to 15,000 tests daily, said officials. Around 17.07 lakh tests have been completed so far, and the positivity rate is 15.85 per cent. The average period of doubling of coronavirus cases is 320 days, and the average growth rate is 0.22 per cent. The highest number of active cases in Mumbai so far was over 34,000 in September.
The Maharashtra government began the ‘My family, my responsibility’ campaign in September where health officials and volunteers undertake door-to-door survey. NGOs too have been roped in to help government officials with the campaign.
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