TPR constant as city sees less than 6K cases
MUMBAI: Mumbai’s positivity rate remained at a similar level on Thursday as the city recorded 5,708 fresh infections in the past 24 hours, taking the overall tally to 10,22,789 and 12 deaths taking the toll to 16,500.
The Test Positivity Rate (TPR) stood at 10.72 per cent on Thursday with 53,203 tests conducted in the last 24 hours. Earlier on Wednesday, the TPR was 10 per cent and on Tuesday the TPR in Mumbai stood at 12.90 per cent.
Besides these figures, the overall bed occupancy rate in Mumbai dipped further on Thursday with 12.7 per cent (4,857) of the total 38,093 beds being occupied. Meanwhile, experts on Thursday said that the curve in Mumbai has started to flatten. However, Mumbaikars still need to follow Covidappropriate behaviour.
“The decline in cases so far has been consistent throughout this week and the figures are also much better than what it was during the past two weeks. However, Mumbaikars shouldn’t get complacent right now and must abide by the rules as we don’t know when another variant may come,” said Dr Rahul Pandit, member of the national and state Covid task force.
In the past week, the mortality rate in Mumbai has also seen a marginal rise with 74 fresh deaths being reported in Mumbai between January 14 and 20.
Dr Shashank Joshi, a member of the state Covid task force, said that now the primary objective will be bringing the mortality rate to zero per cent.
“The third wave started after December 20 and we were expecting a marginal increase in mortality rate by the second and third week of January,” said Dr Joshi. “Now, the primary focus should shift to treating the serious patients and bringing down the mortality rate. The delta variant also exists and we need to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour,” he said.
Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner and in charge of public health in the BMC, said that all the patients that succumbed in the past month had severe co-morbidities and some of them were also not vaccinated as well.
He also said that out of the total cases that are being reported in Mumbai regularly, around 10 per cent are patients who are testing positive with the home kits.
Meanwhile, keeping in line with the state government’s order municipal commissioner, Iqbal Singh Chahal on Thursday said that all schools in Mumbai will be reopened from January 24 (Monday) onwards.
“All schools in Mumbai between classes 1-12 shall open from Monday, January 24. This includes the opening of pre-primary schools as well,” Chahal said on Thursday.
Kakani said that Mumbai is fully prepared to reopen schools and the school authorities and staffers will have to fumigate the premises before Monday. Kakani also said that considering the steady decline in cases, BMC may consider reopening gardens and open spaces for the morning and evening walkers, if the state government gives the nod.
Out of the total cases that were reported on Thursday, around 84 per cent were asymptomatic and there are around 21,838 active cases in Mumbai. The recovery rate of Mumbai is around 96 per cent and the doubling rate of the city is 83 days.
IN THE PAST WEEK, THE MORTALITY RATE IN MUMBAI HAS SEEN A MARGINAL RISE WITH 74 FRESH DEATHS BEING REPORTED IN MUMBAI BETWEEN JANUARY 14-20