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Kurla Has the Highest Number of Containment Zones in Mumbai


Kurla Has the Highest Number of Containment Zones in Mumbai
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As coronavirus positive cases rise across Mumbai, a new report has revealed how 96 per cent of the containment zones in the city are in slums or chawls of the city. This comes as Dharavi has a total of 11 designated containment areas. A containment area is identified as a 3 km radius from the home of a positive patient. There are proper markings and borders to make sure people within the zones don’t exit the periphery unless there’s a medical emergency.

During the initial days of the spread, the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) marked only buildings as containment zones, but the authorities are now using natural boundaries like roads, water drains, and so on. 

Kurla (L Ward) has the highest number of containment zones with 131 areas currently marked. However, this area is not as densely populated as Dharavi and hence has only 53,451 people and a total of 10,699 households under containment. By comparison, Dharavi’s 11 containment zones cover a population of 1.98 lakh.  

Areas like Govandi (M-East Ward) and Bhandup (S Ward) follow Kurla in terms of the highest containment zones. Govandi has reported a total of 66 containment zones that covers 54,533 households and 2.91 lakh, residents. Bhandup, on the other hand, has 62 containment zones with 84,772 people and 18,979 households.

Read - 21 Day Doubling Rate In Dharavi, Lower Than The Average Of Mumbai

BMC’s Additional Municipal Commissioner (Health), Suresh Kakani, said to the Hindustan Times- “Most of the containment zones are in densely populated slums and chawls. It is because social distancing is difficult in such localities. As such, there will be restrictions. No person will be allowed to go out of the containment zone and no outsider will be allowed entry. The civic body is ensuring the supply of essential commodities such as food and vegetables inside containment zones.”

Speaking to the Hindustan Times, independent epidemiologist, Dr Prakash Rokade said - “Despite a majority of slum areas being marked as containment zones, the cases are rising daily. Demarcation is not the only solution. Institutional quarantine is important for these people.”

Placing that many people on institutional quarantine in tightly packed areas is proving to be a tough task for the BMC, although the authorities have said that they would like to make sure each resident is screened/tested twice. 

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