Mumbai records its lowest single-day spike since May 12
nMUMBAI: The city on Tuesday recorded 700 Covid-19 cases, its lowest single-day jump since May 12, when it reported 426 infections. The state’s worst-affected city’s tally rose to 110,882, while the toll went up to 6,187 with 55 new deaths. The active case count in Mumbai stood at 19,990.
Maharashtra on Tuesday recorded 7,717 cases, taking its tally to 391,440. The state’s active case tally stood at 144,694 with 10,333 patients being discharged on Tuesday. So far, 232,277 have recovered in the state with Tuesday the second day in a row the number of recoveries was more than new cases. Maharashtra also recorded 282 more fatalities, taking the toll to 14,165
Mumbai’s figures came a day after it saw the highest number of tests done, at 8,776. Previously, the highest number of tests was on July 25 at 8,494, followed by 7,609 on July 24. Mumbai’s doubling rate is now 68 days.
Mumbai’s municipal commissioner IS Chahal confirmed the development to Hindustan Times on Tuesday morning. He said, “Our testing figures have gone up to 8,776 tests in a single day on Monday, the highest so far.”
Aaditya Thackeray, Maharashtra environment minister, on Tuesday tweeted, “The good news: Only 700 cases today in Mumbai & that too with highest testing till date in Mumbai in a single day (8776).This is chase the virus in full capacity. A major relief after 3 months. Caution: don’t let the guard down! Don’t let your mask down! Only get numbers down!”
Thackeray also tweeted, “Mumbai will see more testing with chase the virus initiative of the @mybmc . It is also the only city to have liberalised testing and allowed citizens to “test at will”.”
Mumbai liberalised its testing policy on July 7, permitting anyone to approach a laboratory and opt for a test, without a doctor’s prescription. Up to July 27, Mumbai has conducted 494,339 tests. This amounts to 38,004 tests per million. However, this is far less than Delhi, which has conducted 958,265 tests so far (according to BMC’S Covid-19 war room dashboard), amounting to 50,435 tests per million. Mumbai’s positivity percentage is 22.28%, a slight drop from the earlier 23.08%, recorded until last week. Mumbai has a recovery rate of 73%, case growth rate of 1.03% and a case fatality rate (CFR) of 5.5%.
Dr Gautam Bhansali, senior city-based doctor, and chief co-ordinator of private hospitals of BMC said, “This is a very good trend for Mumbai. It looks like the curve has already flattened. For the past month if we see, [number of] daily cases have been similar, between 1,000 and 1,200. Now cases have further come down to 700. By August 1st week, curve will drop further. “
Dharavi, once a Covid-19 hotspot, recorded three new cases, taking total cases to 2,543. There are presently only 88 active cases in Dharavi. It’s doubling rate is now 258.
In Dharavi, in the past seven days, an average of nine cases per day was recorded. On Monday, it recorded nine new cases, on Sunday, it recorded two, on Saturday 10, on Friday six and on Thursday, too, six cases were reported.