The coronavirus has affected almost every part of Mumbai, particularly regions like Dharavi. Mulund has now reported its single largest cluster of cases in a day with 52 reporting positive for the virus. This takes the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in the region to 123.
It is said that of the 52 new cases registered in the area, 45 reside in the region’s slum pockets. Seven of these positive cases reportedly came from one family with the affected patient reportedly being a trader in the city.
Mulund appeared to be relatively unaffected by the virus as of April 25 with only 32 COVID-19 positive cases reported at the time. While the number jumped to 71 on Sunday, by the 4th of May, the cases have touched 123, sparking concern of a raging community spread in the area.
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Member of Parliament (MP) from the Mumbai North East constituency, Manoj Kotak, said that the municipal authorities decided to ramp up screening and isolation of high-risk patients in the area after 19 positive cases were reported from the slum.
“It was following this screening that swabs of 45 locals were collected, out of which around 30, from the Indira Nagar slum pocket, tested positive. The other cases were from the Ramgad and Amarnagar slum pockets,” Kotak added.
The Indira Nagar case can likely be attributed to a person who arrived from Navi Mumbai to spend time with relatives in Mulund. Following this report, the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) set up a screening camp in the locality to test slum dwellers. Assistant Municipal Commissioner of the BMC’s T-Ward, Kishore Gandhi has said that a screening camp will be held in the area on May 8.
Given the spread of the virus in the metropolitan region, Mumbai Police has imposed Section 144 in the city until May 17. This step has been taken to avoid gathering of crowds in key places. Things got tricky on Monday when the state announced to open liquor stores. Mumbai’s liquor shops were queued up early in the day, while authorities struggled to enforce social distancing.
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