Hospitals and labs in the city have been put on alert. Vaccination drives will be ramped up, as Mumbai recorded 506 fresh COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the highest since 6 February
The BMC has told its health department to ramp up vaccinations as the city sees a rise in cases. PTI
It’s not over yet. Mumbai is seeing a steep increase in the number of COVID-19 cases – 505 cases were reported on Tuesday, the highest daily count since 6 February (536 cases) this year. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has said the positivity rate in the city has jumped to six per cent. The civic body is on its toes already, having battled three waves since the pandemic first hit in March 2020.
It’s too early to say if another wave is in the offing, but it’s best to be prepared. “Better to plan for the worst and hope for the best,” said BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal.
Here’s how the city is readying as COVID-19 cases increase.
Ramp up testing
“Daily new cases have tremendously increased in Mumbai, with monsoon around the corner, we will now see a rapid rise in symptomatic cases,” the BMC warned.
For starters, the civic body has asked officials to immediately ramp up testing. Testing laboratories across Mumbai have been instructed to be proactive and completely staffed.
Increase vaccinations
Chahal has also said vaccination for children in the 12 to 18 age group should be ramped up along with precautionary doses for adults.
With the possibility that symptomatic cases will go up in the coming days, the civic body has asked for jumbo hospitals to be adequately staffed and the medical staff to be on alert. The BMC chief directed that the jumbo facility in Mumbai’s suburban Malad be put to use on priority if hospitalisations increase. Private hospitals too have been instructed to keep an eye out.
According to BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, there is a likelihood of more asymptomatic cases. PTI
Ready ward war rooms
Assistant commissioners in charge of wards have been told to review the status of ward war rooms and make sure they are well equipped with staff, medical teams, and ambulances.
As cases increase, the civic body also has to keep in mind the arrival of the monsoon. The BMC chief has told additional municipal commissioners to visit jumbo hospitals in their jurisdictions to ensure these are ready for the rains with dewatering pumps, structural stability certification, fire safety mechanism, housekeeping, catering, paramedical and medical staff, oxygen manufacturing plants and fully equipped with medicines.
Dr Pradeep Awate, state surveillance officer, said there has not been a rise in the count of severe disease in proportion to cases. “Although there are 3,475 active cases, only 114 patients are admitted to hospitals. Of those, 29 are on oxygen support and 3 on ventilator,” he told News18.
He added that though BA.4 and BA.5 cases have been circulating in Maharashtra since the beginning of May as recent detections have shown it has not led to an exponential rise in cases.
Talks of restrictions
According to a report in The Times of India, hospitalisations in the city have increased by 231 per cent in May compared to April.
There were 215 people hospitalised as of Monday because COVID-19, which was a sharp rise from 65 in April and 149 in March. The report, however, added that the situation is nowhere close to January when Mumbai recorded 19,200 admissions during the Omicron wave.
Mumbai city guardian minister Aslam Shaikh warned that Maharashtra will impose another lockdown if cases continue to surge and exceed thousand in the state, reports News18.
“Given the pace at which patients are growing, restrictions will have to be put in place. Restrictions on airlines are still in place. If people don’t take care, the possibility of sanctions cannot be ruled out,” Shaikh said.
With inputs from agencies
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