Just as Dharavi reported zero cases of COVID-19 for the second consecutive day on Saturday, a new report suggests that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) may be considering the closure of more COVID-19 facilities. Dahisar’s Octroi Naka and the Richardson & Cruddas facilities in Byculla and Mulund are likely to be shut.
Read - First Time Since The Outbreak, Mumbai’s Dharavi Registers Zero New COVID-19 Cases
The closures come as the occupancy rates at these COVID care facilities have been on a downward trend for the past few weeks. Officials said that most cases reported currently are either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic.
Suresh Kakani, Additional Municipal Commissioner of the BMC, said, “We will review the situation in the first week of January and decide the future course of action as far as these covid treatment facilities are concerned. They could be entirely shut or their operations scaled down.”
Kakani further said that if the new strain of COVID-19 spreads in Mumbai, patients will be directed to Marol’s SevenHills Hospital. This is in reference to a newer strain of COVID-19 found in the United Kingdom, leading to a sense of alarm from health officials around the world.
Also read - Mumbai Registers 578 New COVID-19 Cases; Eight Deaths on Dec 27
Meanwhile the dean of the COVID care centre at Bandra Kurla Complex, Dr Rajesh Dere said that of the 1,026 beds at the centre, only 279 are occupied by the patients. “In the ICU, we have 52 patients as against the capacity of 108. There are seven patients using the dialysis facility as against the capacity of 12. We have not renewed contracts for some staff and have kept them on standby,” he said.
On the other hand, GT Hospital, which is run by the state’s medical education department currently has no patients. This is also the case at the Richardson & Cruddas treatment centre in Byculla.
The civic body has already announced the closure of the jumbo COVID centre situated at Mahalaxmi Race Course. This 900-bed centre has reportedly not seen a single patient since it was set up in July this year.
As for the facility at Dahisar’s Octroi Naka dome, 84 patients are currently present at the location while the capacity is 442. Mulund’s Mithagar BMC School had only 36 patients while its total capacity is 284.
Read - BMC Shuts 465 COVID Care Centres, Including Mahalaxmi's Jumbo COVID Centre
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