The number of sealed buildings in Mumbai have nearly doubled in the last ten days with the maximum number of cases in Andheri and Kurla.
Till May 18, 1,767 buildings have been sealed. The number of containment zones has also increased to 696 from 674 during the same period. The civic body usually seals the floor or a building if a positive case is found in a congested area or locality.
As per BMC data, 1,526 sealed buildings have opened after completing the fourteen-day quarantine period. The K-west ward which consists of Andheri (W), Ville Parle (W), Juhu and the L-ward which consists of Kurla and Saki Naka have the maximum number of sealed buildings, 247 and 242 respectively. It has also been reported that positive cases in these areas have touched the 2,000-mark. Both R-central which consists of Borivli and Gorai and F-north which consists of Matunga, Sion and Dharavi have 191 sealed buildings each.
The civic body further stated that the decision to seal the entire building or not is taken on the basis of the spaces where a COVID-19 positive case is found. If a case is found in the slums it is usually sealed off completely as people in the slums live in cramped up spaces, furthermore, use community toilets which increases the chance for the disease to spread rapidly.
The BMC had earlier issued newer guidelines for COVID-19 testing in Mumbai amidst the rising number of cases. The order stated that the BMC would ramp up the testing of symptomatic cases to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. It specified that a prescription of a registered medical practitioner is mandatory for the testing for COVID-19. Moreover, the testing of mild and pre-symptomatic positive patients shall not be required before discharge if no symptoms are seen on the 7th, 8th, and 9th days. While moderate symptomatic patients need not be tested before discharge if they have recovered clinically, testing is crucial once in the case of discharge pertaining to critical patients.
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