Thackeray’s ward crosses 1K-case mark; city’s daily average is now 915
BANDRA EAST, KHAR, SANTACRUZ H-east ward joins 6 other wards in the city; civic body says preparing for a spike
The H-east ward, which covers Bandra East, Khar and Santacruz and houses CM Uddhav Thackeray’s family, crossed the 1,000-mark with 1,138 Covid-19 cases on Sunday, within 10 days of crossing the 500 mark.
Six other wards – G-north (Dharavi, Dadar, Mahim), G-south (Worli, Prabhadevi), K-west (Andheri west, Oshiwara, Jogeshwari), L (Kurla) and FN (Wadala, Antop Hill and Matunga) – have crossed the mark.
According to the figures provided to the elected representatives by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the H-east ward recorded 1,138 cases on Sunday, up from 1,064 cases on Saturday and 595 cases 10 days ago. It had 269 cases on April 26. According to the BMC’S figure of May 13, the doubling rate of the ward is 9.7 days.
The ward was one of the first in the city to start door-to-door survey to identify suspects. The authorities are identifying senior citizens for comorbidities, and referring them for further treatment.
Tulip Miranda, a Congress corporator from H-east ward, said, “Contact-tracing is being done properly, but the food distribution work can improve. Too many people require the aid, but the BMC can’t reach everyone. Since April 1, I am distributing 1,000 food packets daily to the needy.”
On Monday, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) handed over a 1,000-bed makeshift hospital built on MMRDA grounds in BKC to the BMC in the presence of chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.
The hospital will have a quarantine facility for those who test positive and a facility for isolation, testing, X-ray and ECG. It will act as dedicated health care centre (DCHC) for Covid-19 patients. Municipal commissioner Iqbal Chahal on Sunday said the BMC will start shifting patients to the facility by Wednesday. Local Congress MLA Zeeshan Siddique has demanded that preference be given to locals.
Meanwhile, the daily average of cases being reported in Mumbai has gone up to 915 between May 11 and May 17, compared to the daily average of 670 from May 4-10. The daily average deaths have also risen to 32.28 from 23.4
THE BMC ON MONDAY ISSUED A REVISED PROTOCOL UNDER WHICH ONLY THE FLOOR OF A SYMPTOMATIC PATIENT, AND NOT THE ENTIRE BUILDING, WILL BE SEALED
in May 4-10 period. Between May 4 and May 10, 4,691 cases were reported with 164 deaths, and between May 11 to May 17, 6,411 cases were reported in Mumbai with 226 deaths.
The highest number of cases (1,595) was reported on Sunday, followed by the highest singleday deaths on May 16 (41).
The state has projected that Maharashtra would see the peak in the number of cases by Juneend. The BMC is ready for a projection of over 50,000 cases in Mumbai in three weeks. It is in the process of getting 1,000 beds ready. Chahal had on Sunday said, “We have decided to have the number of beds in surplus compared to the projection. We are not going for playgrounds or open space due to the upcoming monsoon, but we will largely tap into the available parking lots.”